A dad slapped with a parking ticket when he was helping his daughter move out of her Liverpool university accommodation was left baffled after being told to use a city centre loading bay miles away.

Earlier this month, Craig Spence drove from his home in Blackburn to help his daughter Bethany, 23, retrieve her belonging from her university digs in Empress Road in Kensington.

Work is being done on the home Bethany, who is in the final year of her Masters degree, shares with other students. As Craig and his daughter were loading his car, traffic wardens ticketed the vehicle which had been parked in a permit-only zone.

placeholder image — Craig and Bethany Spence | LDRS

Despite their best efforts, the father and daughter couldn’t track down the officer to explain their circumstances. When Craig contacted the city council for help, he was left stunned by their suggestion.

He said: “We spent 20 minutes looking around to explain to the officer but they weren’t there. I contacted the council hoping they would see reason, I thought it operated on a case by case basis.

“They were fully behind it being enforced saying I should have been ‘seen’ loading. I was in her rental carrying bags and boxes down stairs, I couldn’t leave my car boot open as I would risk my daughter’s belongings being stolen. They gave me a totally impractical solution saying I can park in a city centre loading bay.

“I explained my daughter suffers from osteopenia and it is unreasonable to expect me to drop her luggage off in the city centre and drive off, and cannot be continuously unloading while carrying bags and boxes from her accommodation. I was in her accommodation taking bags and boxes out of her room.”

In an email seen by the LDRS, a council response said: “Although it may not have been convenient during this visit, there are several designated loading bays in the city centre designed to assist with situations like collecting bulky or heavy items. For longer stays, please consider using one of the long‑stay car parks located around the city.

“These can be a more suitable option when you know you may need extra time.” Craig said he quickly paid the fine for fearing it would increase.

He added: “I only work part time and I haven’t got the money to be paying fines. The council could have made a small fortune from all the parents.

“I would understand if I was there all day watching football.”

A Liverpool Council spokesperson said: “Resident‑only parking zones are introduced in areas where parking capacity is limited, to help ensure that those who live within the permit zone can reasonably access parking close to their homes. We recognise that students moving into accommodation may need to unload personal belongings.

“Vehicles are permitted to stop in these areas for the purposes of loading and unloading, provided that this is actively in progress. Once unloading has been completed, the vehicle must be moved immediately to an unrestricted road or a public car park so that permit spaces remain available for the residents who rely on them.

“Cars found to be parked in a permit-zone without the correct permit may receive a Penalty Charge Notice.”