Maple Cross motorist in Number Plate mix up

A bemused motorist has explained how a simple number plate mix-up resulted in him receiving somebody else’s parking fine.

Peter Collins, 43, of Lady Walk, Maple Cross, was stunned to receive a parking fine apparently chalked-up near Kentish Town, London, just days after taking delivery of his new Citroen Picasso at the end of April – despite the fact he has never been there.

His confusion grew still further when he received “photographic proof” of his alleged misdemeanour.

To his great shock he discovered that the near identical Citroen Picasso shown in the picture shared his number plate but was a totally different colour.

After many days of investigations, including repeated calls to Watford’s Palmers Citroen garage, where the car was purchased, Mr Collins realised he too was displaying the wrong number plate – one digit different from the number recorded on his ownership document.

His correct number plate, meanwhile – for which he was legally responsible – was attached to the other vehicle.

He explained: “Both cars were sold from the same garage at the same time. It looks like the person who screwed the number plates on got confused and put them on the wrong cars. I suppose it was an easy mistake to make but it’s caused me no end of trouble.

“I was just worried that this other bloke was going to get me more parking tickets”

Mr Collins said that Palmers Citroen, in Caxton Way, Watford, has now replaced the plate and apologised for the error He, however, is keen to warn other people about similar problems. He added: “If I hadn’t of got that fine then I wouldn’t have found out what had happened.

“This kind of thing must have happened before so I would urge anyone who buys a new car to check that they have the right number plate before they drive away.”