A Douglas councillor says those issued parking tickets ‘unfairly’ last Saturday should challenge their fine.

Frank Schuengel says the Department of Infrastructure placed yellow ‘no waiting’ cones on the seaward side of Loch Promenade on Saturday, as part of roadworks, but some were removed by road users, leaving no clear signal that parking was suspended in the area.

He described the department’s response as ‘tone deaf’, saying: ‘My concern is we want people to come to Douglas and enjoy the town and spend money in the shops.

‘Especially now after the massive increase in the gas [petrol] prices, to hit people with £60 fines in an uncertain legal situation, it’s a little tone deaf and it could have been handled better.’

Mr Schuengel added: ‘It’s clear that cones were put there in the morning and what happened later in the day was the cones were removed.

‘There was no clear signage saying parking was suspended and the traffic warden was standing there giving tickets while people were parking there, instead of putting the cones back or calling the contractor to fix the area and suspension.

‘They would just give tickets to people caught up in the confusion and that just doesn’t seem fair to me.’

He turned to the DoI’s prom works and said the roadworks wouldn’t have been necessary had the department ‘done its job right in the first place’.

‘Now the DoI is giving tickets to people for things that shouldn’t be necessary anyway,’ the councillor said.

‘All around it’s a very bad look. ‘I’ve already written a lengthy email to the DoI who are usually very reasonable and have always been very fair and understanding and I’m hoping they see it the same way I do for at least the ones who were caught later in the day, not for those who moved the cones, when it was completely unclear.’

A government spokesperson commented on the situation, saying: ‘Parking controllers perform an important role in our community and work hard to ensure spaces are used in the correct way, assisting residents and businesses and the smooth running of the Manx economy.’