PARKING wardens who give out too many tickets are being hauled in for ""common sense lessons"".

PARKING wardens who give out too many tickets are being hauled in for "common sense lessons".

A combination of roleplay, computer presentations and speeches are used to impress on traffic wardens the need to use their heads before issuing tickets on cars.

New recruits have the same lessons as part of their basic training in an attempt to cut the number of Islington motorists left fuming by disputed fines.

The move comes after a spate of fines - including a man who had a yellow line painted underneath his car before a ticket was issued.

Karen Naylor, Islington Council's parking advocate, whose job it is to resolve disputed tickets, is overseeing the drive.

She said: "I want them to use a bit of common sense. They need to think about things a bit better rather than just automatically giving people a fine if they break the rules. We will go out and regularly monitor them as to what they understand by 'common sense' - it is drummed into them on a regular basis. If the same person is giving out lots tickets that are cancelled on appeal they are brought in for re-training."

A variety of methods are used to try and instil the common sense into the Islington's wardens.

Ms Naylor said: "We use roleplays and scenarios and they are all given a booklet with details about common sense. I go and do an hour-long speech to explain the common sense charter to them. We are also making a PowerPoint presentation about using common sense."

The news was welcomed by drivers who have fallen foul of the system.

Philip Langsdale, who was given a ticket after a yellow line was painted under his stationary car, said: "Excellent - they really need it. They didn't show much common sense when they put a ticket on my car with a yellow line painted freshly under it."

Parking campaigner Barry Segal said: "Unbelievable. It is not before time because far too many tickets are being given out when they shouldn't have been. But I'm not so sure you can learn common sense."

And Councillor James Murray (Labour) said: "I can understand why they think they need to do it. I keep on getting people coming to me with tickets - and there does seem to be a distinct lack of common sense.