TikTok parking fine videos force council review

A masked campaigner who hides her face behind a slice of bread in viral TikTok videos about parking fines has forced Manchester City Council to review its signage policies.

The T-shirt designer and filmmaker, who goes by the online alias Zoë Bread, had received a fine after parking on Collier Street in the city centre and buying a ticket at the wrong meter.

She told the BBC the Pay At Machine sign pointed both to the private car park and the council one.

The council said it would "explore if additional signage is needed" after the videos by the self-styled social media investigator documented her penalty charge notice, rejection of her parking fine appeal and other people's similar stories.

In her videos, Zoë Bread filmed a "stake-out" of the bays and said she had met other drivers who had received parking tickets "for the exact same reason", as well as contacting a council agent who informed her the council's then view was that the signage was not misleading.

"They're saying it's not [misleading] yet others have been misled, that's the definition of misleading: it's not just me," she said.

During her investigations into the parking problems on the road, she submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council and reviewed official documents on the number of parking fines issued on the road.

Zoë Bread claimed that the opening of the SIP private car park in 2018 had corresponded with an increase in the number of fines being issued on the road.

"I have a lot of time to go investigate things," she said.

"Usually I do joke investigations, I don't take things seriously, but I would never joke about these five parking spaces and misleading signage on Collier Street now."

Her videos have also attracted the attention of opposition Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Good, who contacted Zoë Bread after her films appeared on his social media newsfeed.

Good, who represents Ancoats and Beswick, told the BBC that he had visited the street in question and that he believed parking fines appealed on the street due to confusion over signage should be "rescinded".

"They can take a bit more of a human and more of a common sense approach to parking enforcement," he said.

"This is one of those times they really need to come down here for themselves and have a look and install a new meter."

Manchester City Council said the authority believed there was "clear signage indicating there is a private car park in operation at the Collier Street Arches and that the majority of people are able to purchase a valid parking ticket".

But a spokesman acknowledged there had been "some confusion amongst a small number of motorists who have bought a ticket from the wrong machine".

The local authority would now "explore if additional signage is needed to ensure that in the future, motorists are directed to the correct ticket machine", he added.

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.