Lancashire Police speed camera van caught parked on double yellow lines

Pictures of the van appeared online after it was found parked on double yellows in Market Street, Bacup on Tuesday (January 3).

It was debated whether the vehicle was parked illegally or not, with some suggesting the van could pose a risk to traffic due to its position on the road.

The Highway Code states that double yellow lines mean you must not stop, park, or wait for any period of time. That means drivers who park on double yellow lines could be issued with hefty fines –even if they've broken down.

Lancashire Police has now acknowledged that an ‘error was made’ and the speed van was not permitted to park on the double yellow lines.

Inspector Chris Valentine, based in Rossendale, confirmed that the location had not been subject to a risk assessment. He said the speed van technician – ‘who is new to the role’ – has been ‘spoken to and will be dealt with accordingly’.

"At the end of the day there’s a human behind every uniform, officer or otherwise, and sometimes mistakes are made,” added the inspector.

‘It’s important to acknowledge when mistakes are made’

Inspector Chris Valentine explained: "The vans are operated by the Safer Roads Unit (SRU) which is based at HQ and are not staffed by Police Officers.

"Neither the local policing team nor I are involved in the deployment of the vans which should all be situated in locations that are subject to a risk assessment and come with precise location information to make sure they are in the right place.

"As soon as I was made aware of the issue I made contact with SRU. Unfortunately, an error was made by a technician who is new to the role, and I can confirm that the van should not have been parked there.

"The technician has been spoken to and will be dealt with accordingly.

"The public of Lancashire have a right to expect that any employee of the Constabulary abides by all laws and conducts themselves to the highest possible standard.

"I feel it’s important to acknowledge when mistakes are made. British policing is built on a foundation of trust and consent from the public.

"Rossendale Police have excellent links with the community and work hard to prevent and fight crime and to keep our communities and people safe.

"At the end of the day there’s a human behind every uniform, officer or otherwise, and sometimes mistakes are made.

"When they are we need to be open and honest about it but also learn from them and ensure they don’t happen again.

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Some people pointed out that the speed van did not have MOT, but Inspector Valentine explained that police vehicles are exempt because they are regularly serviced at the constabulary’s vehicle workshop at Hutton HQ in South Ribble.