A COUNCILLOR claims that drivers are being illegally fined in disc zones and should get a refund.

Innes Nelson, who represents Ward 6, says council officials are flouting the law because proper signs are not in place to identify disc zones.

He has visited disc parking areas in Gourock, Greenock and Kilmacolm and says there are several streets with no signs, or posts located outside the zone area or not at zone entrances or exits.

Councillor Nelson said: "It has become clear that many of the parking disc zone signs required to make the zones complaint with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions Act are not in place in Inverclyde."

Mr Nelson says that without proper signage the disc zone area of the decriminalised parking enforcement scheme approved for Inverclyde in 2014 is 'legally unenforceable'.

The councillor said: "Clearly the council and its representatives should not be issuing parking tickets for disc reasons within an area where the statutory disc zone is not in place."

The controversial decriminalised parking enforcement scheme was introduced in Inverclyde more than three years ago.

Motorists have to display a disc in the zone areas to quality for free, time-limited parking.

But Councillor Nelson says this is null and void if drivers are not warned they are entering a zone in the first place.

He has written to the council's parking enforcement team leader asking why some of the required signs are not in place in Inverclyde.

Councillor Nelson said: "I believe motorists have been unjustly served with parking tickets for disc offences in those areas where the compliant signage is not in place.

"I have asked what steps will be taken to apologise to motorists and refund them.

"I have inquired what control measures the team leader put in place at the outset of the scheme in order to ensure that the disc zone signage was compliant."

Cllr Nelson says the council is also at risk of breaching equality rules due to the stipulated time people are allowed to go and get a disc.

He says parking attendants are only allowing drivers 10 minutes to get one.

Councillor Nelson said: "Such a short period of time imposed is unfair, especially to those who are elderly, pregnant, of have very young children where this could clearly be considered as discriminatory under the Equality Act."

A spokesman for Inverclyde Council said: "...............