The Mail revealed last week that the council was considering installing six more fixed parking cameras across the city, despite widespread criticism of the four cameras already in central Footscray.

Mayor Sel Sanli insists officers are being compassionate in deciding whether to issue fines to drivers, with 11,000 cases dismissed following an internal review.

Maurie Butterworth, 78, is among 30,000 drivers who have been fined since the cameras were introduced in April.

On July 28, the pensioner needed to visit Godfreys in Footscray to have his vacuum cleaner repaired for the council worker who cleans his home.

Mr Butterworth said his friend drove him to the store. They decided to double park temporarily on Paisley Street so he didn't have to carry the heavy vacuum cleaner too far. His driver then went to park the car.

"The wheels had hardly stopped rolling when I got out as fast as I could and took out the vacuum.

"When I got back from holidays and found this letter [with a fine for $70] in my box I couldn't believe it."

Mr Butterworth was given until September 9 to pay the fine or dispute it. He wrote a letter (dated September 6) explaining his circumstances. The council's response was a reminder notice (dated September 15) with an increased fine of $91.

He later received a letter rejecting his appeal. The letter read: "The above vehicle was observed to be stopped for over a minute and a half on the roadway alongside regulated car parking spaces, causing significant safety risk to other road users. We have noted your circumstances, but they do not exempt you from complying with parking restrictions."

Mr Butterworth says there were no cars being held up in the street, and the driver moved on within a minute of stopping.

The council has introduced a warning-letter policy for first-time offenders, which was due to end yesterday. Cr Sanli said the council was looking into whether warning letters would become permanent. "When we started to get some feedback from residents that we were being too harsh, we met with officers and said, 'Be more compassionate'."

But Mr Butterworth says, "They haven't been compassionate with me. They just said, 'It's the law' and gave me an infringement [notice]."