Latest news with #ManchesterCityCouncil
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Uber driver dropped a cigarette – then I got letter that tore my life apart'
Heartbroken Abar Ahmed was left stunned after receiving a letter from Manchester council giving him a whopping fine for an offence he says he didn't commit - it has put his family through hell A devastated Manchester dad has been slapped with a huge fine for dropping a cigarette in the street, but he and his family insist it wasn't him. Heartbroken Abrar Ahmed, from Crumpsall, couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a letter from Manchester council in March. It told him he was being fined £433 for littering. Mr Ahmed then got in touch with the council having not been in the area and being a non-smoker. He requested access to the body-worn footage from an officer, and it emerged it was not him. But the case was adjourned because an appropriate interpreter had not been provided, meaning the fine has remained. Speaking on his behalf due to a language barrier, Mr Ahmed's brother-in-law Zahor Hussain told Manchester Evening News: 'His elder brother passed away from cancer in December, he's gone through absolute hell and back, as have the rest of our family. 'This is not something he needs and he is at the end of his tether. Someone who is not a criminal, now has to go before the court. They are pursuing the wrong person.' In the footage, the individual tells the enforcement officer that his name is 'Abrar Ahmed' and gives the same date of birth, yet gives an address in Bury. He also tells them he is a taxi driver and is seen to step out of the driver's seat of an Uber. Mr Hussain said: 'He doesn't smoke, he is a business manager and runs a food manufacturing business. This person was a taxi driver, and had parked up near to the Uber office. 'My brother-in-law has difficulties speaking English. This man is speaking English, they are speaking over each other. He gave the same name and date of birth as Abrar, but gave an address in Bury. 'The letter then came here, to my brother-in-law's address. He has never lived in Bury. The man in the footage is not my brother in law.' As a result, Mr Ahmed has been suffering with his mental health. 'We feel like we have gone to hell and back. We shouldn't have to do this,' he said. The family have since sent the investigations team evidence including images of the footage and Mr Ahmed. 'We are extremely anxious and have been left with mental anguish and distress. We don't know what to do,' Mr Hussain added. A hearing at Tameside Magistrates Court was convened to withdraw the conviction but the hearing had to be adjourned due to issues providing an appropriate interpreter by the court. A further hearing has been planned in June to formally withdraw the fine. 'We are not getting anywhere and it feels like smashing my head against a brick wall. It is a wrongful conviction - clearly they are two different individuals. We are being passed from pillar to post. How is that justified?,' said Mr Hussain. A Manchester City Council spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of a case of mistaken identity involving Mr Abrar Ahmed who was fined for littering a cigarette after another individual allegedly provided false details to an enforcement officer. "Mr Ahmed has since provided evidence that suggests he was not at fault and our investigation officers have reopened the case to withdraw the fine as soon as possible through the courts. "We want to sincerely apologise to Mr Ahmed and his family for the distress caused by this incident and investigations are ongoing to locate the real suspect."
ITV News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
'It's still raw': Manchester arena survivor remembers terror attack
Amy was one of thousands of Ariana Grande fans caught up in the terror attack which claimed the lives of 22 people. A survivor of the Manchester arena bombing says memories of that night are "still raw" as the city marks eight years since the terror attack. Amy, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was one of thousands of people who had been attending an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017 at the city centre venue when a bomb was detonated. 22 people were killed and hundreds were injured. Memorial services have been taking place across the city to remember the victims and reflect on "one of Manchester's darkest days." "Even after eight years it doesn't change anything - it's still raw," Amy said after attending a minute's silence for the victims at Victoria Station, Manchester, on Thursday. "It's very heartwarming that after so many years the victims are still remembered. The services at the cathedral are a perfect way to remember those who never got to come home. "I was one of the lucky ones that did." Ariana Grande paid tribute to the arena victims on her Instagram. Credit: Instagram/Ariana Grande Among the many tributes paid the victims of the arena bomb is the American singer Ariana Grande, who posted a moving tribute on her Instagram. The singer and Wicked star had just finished a performance at the venue when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a homemade device. On the anniversary of the attack, the 31-year-old posted a simple picture of a cloudy sky with three emojis in the centre. These were a heart, Manchester's symbol of a bee, and an infinity symbol. Manchester City Council unanimously agreed to make Grande an honorary citizen of Manchester as a gesture of thanks for her response to the attack. Want more on the issues affecting the North? Our podcast, From the North answers the questions that matter to our region.
ITV News
22-05-2025
- ITV News
Arena attack victims remembered eight years on from bombing
Moments of silence will be observed in Manchester as the city marks eight years since the terror attack which claimed the lives of 22 people. Manchester City Council said a minute's silence would be observed twice at Victoria Station on Thursday 22 May - at midday and again at 10.31pm - the exact time of the attack in 2017. 22 people were killed and hundreds more were injured after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. Writing book 'lifted us' say Arena victim Saffie-Rose Roussos' parents The names of those who lost their lives will be read out during services at Manchester Cathedral at 1.10pm (Holy Communion) and 5.30pm (Choral Evensong.) The cathedral will be open throughout the day for prayers and reflection. The Glade of Light memorial. Representatives from the City Council including leader Cllr Bev Craig, will lay flowers at the Glade of Light memorial on behalf of the city. The permanent memorial has the names of the 22 victims written into stone which forms a halo around a central garden. Cllr Bev Craig said the "city will never forget those who were lost that day" and the attack "was one of the darkest days in Manchester's history". The Council leader said: "The aftermath also showed the city's remarkable solidarity and Mancunians' refusal to give in to those who would seek to divide us. 'We will never forget those who were lost that day, their loved ones, those who were injured and everyone who was affected. "We remember them throughout the year but each anniversary is especially poignant.'
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Zoe Bread forces Manchester City Council to refund parking fines
A woman has won a long-running battle over a parking fine by donning a mask like a slice of bread and making a raft of social media videos about campaign started when she received a penalty for parking on Collier Street in Manchester after confusing signs meant she bought a ticket from the wrong machine. After a lengthy row which saw her assume the alter-ego Zoe Bread, pen a song about her quest and make 29 Instagram and TikTok videos seen by millions of people, Manchester City Council has now backed leader Bev Craig said said the signs "could be clearer" and that some other fines issued on the street over the past year would be quashed. T-shirt designer and filmmaker Zoe said her problems began because the 'Pay At Machine' sign on the street pointed to both a council-run car park and private unsuccessfully arguing her case, she submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the council about how many fines had been issued on the the council knocked it back. She then scoured council documents and found there had been a significant rise in the number of penalties issued in the first year the SIP car park was a month-long campaign that included challenging Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham on a BBC Radio Manchester phone-in, she finally won her battle."The only part of it that I think is bad is the amount of effort it took to get heard, which is obviously not possible for a proper person to do," she told the BBC. 'Annoying' Zoe added that "their system doesn't work, but my system does," putting down her success to being "persistent and annoying".She said she would now help other people who had been caught out in the same way. Opposition Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Good applauded Zoe's he said it "shouldn't have taken the social media pressure that was largely due to Zoe's following".He said the council should cancel fines going back further than the last 12 months, considering the big rise in penalties in 2018, when the privately-run car park was first opened. Council leader Craig - who directly contacted the campaign - said she thanked Zoe for drawing attention to the said the signs on the street complied with all the rules, but that there would be added: "We're going to address this as soon as possible with new signs, by relocating the metre and by asking the owners of the nearby private car park to take down their signs which have contributed to confusion."As a goodwill gesture, we will also quash any pending or unpaid tickets relating to Collier Street - including Zoe's - and review our records of fines for the last 12 months in that location. "We will refund anyone who said at the time that they believed they had paid for their parking." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Major blow for millions of drivers as parking fines could rocket by a whopping 75% – exceeding penalty for shoplifting
MILLIONS of drivers could face paying 75 per cent more on parking fines - exceeding penalty charges for shoplifters. Local governments have called on Westminster to increase the levies amid concerns they are "no longer fit for purpose". Advertisement 1 Millions of drivers could face paying 75 per cent more on parking fines Credit: Getty But, this could all change after Lilian Greenwood, a transport minister, announced the parking levies outside of London were under review. The British Parking Association (BPA) has called on ministers to review these penalty charges, which it said have remained "unchanged for over 15 years". Advertisement Read more on Motors He told the 'It's the latest slap in the face of our working people, who are already feeling the pinch thanks to Rachel Reeves's jobs tax. 'We have exposed Labour's attempts to sneak this in via the back door and will fight the Government to protect drivers at every step.' Advertisement Most read in Motors Live Blog Exclusive Edmund King, the president of the AA, said: 'Drivers have become the go-to for local authorities to source more funding – environmental charges, workplace parking levies, congestion charges, hikes in residents' parking permit costs and fines. 'Now we have the crazy situation where a parking fine may exceed the fine for shoplifting, criminal damage or being drunk and disorderly. Man can't get his cars out of his driveway after city blocks him in – & one of his rides is parked in an unsafe spot "The punishment needs to fit the crime, not the financial needs of councils.' The Department for Transport said no decisions have been made. Advertisement A spokesperson said: "This is untrue – we have no plans to introduce higher caps for parking fines. 'We are a government firmly on the side of drivers and we fully expect councils only to use penalty charge notices as a deterrent for law-breaking – not as a way to raise funds.' Full list of the councils that issued the most fines in 2024 Manchester City Council 464,880 Waltham Forest Borough Council 264,817 Ealing Borough Council 227,280 Barking and Dagenham Council 213,059 Enfield Council 192,437 Liverpool City Council 170,935 Merton Borough Council 140,818 Reading Borough Council 127,519 Coventry City Council 104,502 Richmond upon Thames Borough Council 101,334 Earlier this year, Data from the experts at revealed the councils that issued the highest number of fines last year as a warning to drivers to pay extra attention to where they leave their vehicles. Advertisement Manchester City Council topped the rankings as the authority that issued the most parking fines throughout 2024, handing out over 460,000 tickets. Although Manchester is a tourist hotspot, with two Premier League football teams, it may be surprising to many that the city issued more fines than every council in London. The capital has strict Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ), public transport lanes and limited public parking offering. Dorry Potter, vehicle expert at National Scrap Car, said: 'While we would expect to see high levels of fines in a large city like Manchester, it is interesting to see that it outperforms the capital in penalties. Advertisement 'The complexities of driving in London alongside its expansive public transport infrastructure could be a reason behind Manchester topping the list as motorists are less likely to attempt driving around areas they are unfamiliar with in the capital and thus not make risky parking decisions.' The Arndale shopping centre car park, one of Manchester's top shopping locations, was the spot where drivers picked up the most tickets, with 17,356 PCNs handed out. All those fines accounted for over £14.6 million of revenue for the Manchester City Council over double what the second-highest fining council made.
