Scroll down for video

Traffic enforcement officers have been criticised for ‘double standards’ after a CCTV car was parked on double yellow lines.

Yesterday morning the silver Citroen – part of Waltham Forest council's fleet of spy cars  - was filmed in Vernon Road, Leytonstone.

A 33-year-old man was cycling passed when he spotted the car.

According to the cyclist, there was one officer sat in the driver’s seat at the time.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said the council should set an example.

“It’s double standards. If it was anyone else their car would be towed away,” he added.

In the video the cyclist rides alongside the car and then behind it, where he points out the car being fully parked on double yellow lines.

In the video he can be heard saying: “Double yellow, yeah? Cool.”

Despite parking restrictions such as double yellow lines being used to maintain safety and traffic flow, a council spokeswoman said drivers of enforcement cars are allowed to ignore double yellow lines.

She said: “CCTV cars are considered 'exempted' vehicles under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and are permitted to park on yellow lines when carrying out enforcement activity.”

However, it has not been officially confirmed that enforcement action was being taken at the time the video was filmed.

In June this year. the government announced plans to curb the powers of so called ‘spy cars’.

The deregulation bill is due come into force soon, making it illegal for CCTV spy cars and static cameras to issue fixed penalty notices for on-street parking, but not moving traffic violations.

Councils will still be able to use the cars to issue postal tickets for any offences that occur on critical routes, such as zigzag lines, bus stops, bus lanes and red routes.