Blackpool Council investigate why mayor’s car was parked illegally on double yellow lines

Pictures show the black Jaguar parked on double yellow lines and partially on the pavement outside the Grand Theatre in Corporation Street on Sunday, March 26.

The taxpayer-funded Jag – which features the personalised number plate M55 BBC – is used to chauffeur the Mayor and other civic dignitaries to official events.

It was reported the car was parked illegally outside the Grand Theatre for over three hours, just a stone’s throw from the Council-owned West Street car park.

The Mayor of Blackpool for 2022 to 2023 is Councillor Kath Benson, who has been accompanied during her mayoral year by her sister Therese Clark as Mayoress.

The Gazette has approached Coun Benson for comment.

No fine was issued, but Blackpool Council confirmed the vehicle was parked illegally and would have been slapped with a ticket if a traffic warden had spotted it.

The authority said it will investigate the circumstances behind the parking violation and take ‘appropriate action’.

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said: “The vehicle in question is the one that is used to transport the Mayor and other civic dignitaries to official events.

"Clearly the same rules apply to the mayoral vehicle as any other vehicle and the image shows our mayoral vehicle parked illegally.

"If there had been a parking warden in the vicinity at the time they would have issued a PCN.

"We will investigate why this has happened and take the appropriate action to make sure that it does not occur again.”