Jason Watkins said he had no chance of moving his car

BAFTA winner Jason Watkins feels like he’s been “mugged” by Camden Council after officials refused to scrap a parking fine dished out while he was on holiday – and has called for the Town Hall to appoint a “common sense czar”.

The Trollied and W1A star, who lives in Camden Town, got the ticket after the council announced it was suspending a bay for “filming” while he was away for a fortnight.

Mr Watkins said he had been “most certainly vexed” over the fine.

“How the hell am I supposed to know?” said Mr Watkins, who won a Bafta last year for The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies. “There’s a great irony to the whole thing. I wish I knew what they were filming. I had no notice of this when I parked my car legally and normally and went on holiday. I could have not found out there was going to be filming on those dates.

Mr Watkins said the council told him suspension notices normally go up two weeks beforehand but “this cannot be guaranteed, depending on the urgency of work to take place or emergency situations, for example”.

He said: “I have worked for over 30 years in the television and film industry. I would never describe filming on location as urgent or indeed an ‘emergency’.”

After Camden rejected his appeal, Mr Watkins attended a parking fine adjudicator hearing on Monday, but was told the £130 fine had been correctly issued.

The council said he should have signed up to new text alerts that notify drivers of forthcoming bay suspensions.

Mr Watkins said the whole saga had “really got my goat”, adding: “I feel as though I have been mugged.

“I am a huge supporter of ‘community’ and all that brings, seeing everyone I live close to as a valued member of my and our world. Today, I just feel Camden Council epitomises the opposite of this notion – they have taken my money and not valued me, when they should be leading the way.”

He added: “It feels like the council, and the larger corporations, just work off computer systems for their customer care. Camden need a common sense czar, where you can go to say something sensible and they say: ‘Oh yes, of course, that’s fine. No problem – ok, thanks’.”

A council spokesman said: “We aim to provide as much warning as possible to residents and other road users of forthcoming suspensions. In this case an independent adjudicator has assessed the details and has concluded that the penalty charge notice should stand.”

Residents can receive email notifications of parking bay suspensions at www.camden.gov.uk/parking.