A €20,000 parking fine was sent by post to the home of a driver who had parked on a public garden in Carcavelos, in the Cascais municipality, “seriously violating environmental regulations”.
According to a report in the Correio da Manhã newspaper, on July 7, during a trip to Carcavelos beach, the driver, a young woman, was not able to find a parking space in the usual spots so decided to park on the Jorge V Avenue, next to other vehicles.
According to the municipal police, who photographed the parked cars, the vehicle was parked “on a public garden marked off by a kerb”.
In the fine sent by Cascais Câmara, it could be read that the car had damaged some of the garden’s plants and that the violation is included in the town’s municipal green space regulations.
The driver said: “When I read the letter, I panicked. First they present me as a suspect and then they mention incredibly high fines, which range from €20,000 to €37,500. I can’t even sleep at night because I keep thinking of what I’ll have to pay. I have a serious problem to settle now,” she said.
Cascais Câmara has confirmed the case and said that an alteration to the penalty amounts has been discussed and is awaiting the approval of the municipal assembly.
