Taxi driver forced to pay £3k to rectify illegal red road marking outside his house

A taxi driver and councillor has been forced to pay nearly £3,000 after illegally painting red lines on a public road outside his home in Blackburn to stop others parking.

Altaf ‘Tiger’ Patel, 55, was filmed painting the 27ft line by hand, prompting backlash from neighbours.

He later removed it after being contacted by the council and has now paid for a legal dropped kerb and official H-bar line.

Patel claimed the red line was temporary to mark where official lines should go. A council investigation found the corrected work was done properly.