Tory mayoral candidate hit with parking ticket outside Doncaster Council offices

Photos have been shared online of Mr Fletcher’s silver Volkswagen campaign van with a yellow parking fine sticker attached to its front windscreen.

The picture, which has been shared to the Facebook group Parking Like A T*** in Doncaster, shows the vehicle, dubbed the Voteswagon by Mr Fletcher, parked opposite the Civic Offices in Waterdale.

It is not clear when the photo was taken, but former Don Valley MP Mr Fletcher shared a video of himself in Waterdale on his Facebook page yesterday.

Mr Fletcher, one of 12 candidates contesting next Thursday’s mayoral contest, has made free parking in Doncaster city centre one of his key campaign pledges.

After the picture was shared to the group, which shares photos of examples of bad parking in Doncaster, users teased Mr Fletcher over the fine.

One said: “Serves him right begging for votes,” while another posted: “Shame parking isn’t free.”

Another said: “It'll be a council conspiracy against him...” while another tagged Reform UK candidate Alexander Jones in the post, adding: “Oh dear!”

Later confessing to the parking blunder, Mr Fletcher wrote on Facebook: “No excuses but another reason why people don’t come into town.

"£2.20 an hour. Not on my watch vote for me and the first two hours will be free.”

It is not the first time a mayoral candidate has been stung with a parking ticket while campaigning.

During the 2017 contest, independent candidate Eddie Todd was landed with a charge in the city’s Market Place.

A clip of the encounter went viral, being watched and shared more than 20,000 times.

An upset Mr Todd blasted South Yorkshire Police and said: "I was set up by the police. Someone took a video - the police officer lied.

"I accepted the fixed penalty fine.”

Full list of 2025 candidates (current mayor highlighted in bold)

David Bettney (Social Democratic Party)

Julie Buckley (Green Party)

Frank Calladine (British Democrats)

Nick Fletcher (Conservative)

Andy Hiles (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)

Ashan Jamil (Workers Party of Great Britain)

Alexander Jones (Reform UK)

Ros Jones (Labour)

Mihai Melenciuc (Liberal Democrats)

Richie Vallance (Independent)

Andrew Walmsley (Yorkshire Party)

Doug Wright (Health and Social Care Party)