A DRIVER is fighting a £170 fine after failing to pay a 20 PENCE parking charge nearly a year ago.

Bill Harvey parked on a south side street on December 1 last year but claims three nearby parking meters were broken.

He phoned the council’s fault reporting line and left a note on his windscreen but was given a ticket.

Almost 12 months later he is still in a wrangle with council bosses, who insist the ticket machine was working, and is being chased by a debt collection firm.

The 68-year-old said: “It has been impossible to contact them and you can’t get anyone live - it’s all recorded messages.

“Glasgow City Council has a lot of responsibility and it is unacceptable to hound someone who has done everything properly in this way.

“It’s like the system of justice in North Korea.”

Mr Harvey parked on Kilmarnock Road in Shawlands on the morning of December 1 last year, a place he parks regularly, where it is 20p for 30 minutes.

He claims the meter next to his car wasn’t working so he walked to the next meter along, which also failed to issue him a parking token, before trying a third.

When he failed to get a parking token he called the council’s fault reporting line and wrote a note for his windscreen.

Glasgow City Council, however, says the meter was working and its parking attendant was able to produce a test token.

Mr Harvey disputes this and says he has repeatedly contacted the council, including writing a letter of appeal, but has had no response.

He added: “I’ve even phoned and spoken to the leader of the council’s PA and have got nowhere.

“Why don’t they spend these resources tackling serial offenders? I have never had a parking ticket before and always pay to park.

“I am someone who has lived in Glasgow their whole life, paid their taxes and worked hard.

“This is out of all proportion.

“I’m just looking for fairness. It’s not the amount, per se, although it is a significant sum.”

An initial £30 penalty charge notice has increased in cost to £170.

Mr Harvey has received letters from debt collection agency Stirling Park and been threatened with sheriff officers.

He has also been subject to an Arrestment of Funds Order on his bank account.

He said: “Nobody believes you and I feel as though I have made no progress.

“I am an upright citizen and all this has caused me real distress.

“Glasgow aspires to be a more welcoming city and this level of trouble for a 20p charge seems totally without foundation.”

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “This Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued December 1 2015 for non-payment to park in a bay.

“No correspondence has ever been received from Mr Harvey at any stage in the process and as such the case has progressed accordingly.

“There is a clear process in place for appealing a PCN and that process should be adhered to.”