WORCESTER, Mass. — Worcester residents say they were unfairly ticketed earlier this week after the city sent out incorrect information about street sweeping.
The issue happened on Plantation Street, where residents tell FOX25 they were sent a text message giving the wrong date.
"The street sweeping wasn't supposed to happen until Tuesday,” Worcester resident Melissa McDonald said.
But when residents went outside on Monday they discovered the parking tickets and tow trucks.
"They towed his car over and when he came downstairs he had a parking ticket on it,” Robert McHugh said.
Residents tell FOX25 they were confused because street sweeping signs posted by the city didn’t say what day, and the texts had the wrong date.
"If you could just give us a warning, granted you put the signs up but you don't know. You don't know with the signs,” McDonald said.
The city blamed the incorrect text information on “human error” and said it was sent to about 300 people. The city says none of the people who were sent the wrong information received a text were ticketed.
"They constantly just kind of take the money out of your wallet, pennies and all,” McDonald said. "I'm going to fight it."
During one snowstorm this winter, the City of Worcester came under fire for initiating a winter parking ban at 1 a.m. that was retroactive to 11:30 p.m. the night before.
In that situation the city ticketed more than 700 vehicles and towed nearly 350. The towing fees were reimbursed by the city.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
