The 57-year-old is based in Kirkintilloch, Lenzie and surrounding villages and started the job eight months ago.

Charlie lives in Glasgow with his wife Anne and has two children.

What did you do before becoming a traffic warden?
I was an engineer in Glasgow for 20 years, then I went to work at the Sunday Post operating the presses.
After that, I had my own driving instruction school, which I also did for 20 years.

Why the career change?
I wanted to get out and about more and meet people, and get a bit fitter instead of sitting in a car all day.

What appealed to you about being a traffic warden?
I saw an advert in the paper and it struck me as quite an interesting job.
I wanted a complete change of career, it's something I like to do every 20 years or so.

What does your job involve?
Enforcing traffic regulations by making sure people don't park illegally, ensuring motorists have road tax, and helping to control traffic if the lights break down.
As I'm out and about on the streets, I can assist the public with any enquiries they have about the area.
I'm also part of the local police community safety department, and I work closely with the officers.

What training did you do for the job?
I did four weeks of training in East Kilbride. I was shown the kind of scenarios you will come up against and how to deal with them.
It involved a lot of work, but once you have done it and put it into practice, it's fairly straight forward.

Do you think traffic wardens get a bad reputation?
They do, but we are just doing our job. Most people in the area know who I am and I am getting to know the local characters. I think I'm recognised as being quite fair in my job.

Describe your typical day.
No two days are really the same, but I work from 8.30am-4.30pm. I patrol Kirkintilloch, Lenzie, Milton of Campsie and Lennoxtown.
It's amazing the number of people that park inconsiderately. I do see a lot of bad driving and people driving too fast. If I see this I will radio the police about it and they can come out.
I also go to local schools and make sure that people are not parking irresponsibly.

Do you get a lot of abuse?
You do get irate drivers, and there have been two or three incidents, but it's generally not too bad.
I prefer to give them a warning first before giving them a ticket. I try and calm them down and tell them that their behaviour could lead to a breach of the peace charge, which normally works.

What do you enjoy about your job?
I like meeting people and listening to them. A lot of people might live on their own and I'm the only person they will talk to all day.
I also learn a lot about the history of the town from residents.

Do you think it is a busy area for traffic?
Yes, there is a lot of traffic coming from Glasgow through the town, especially if the motorway is busy. It will get busier in the future.

Do you have any hobbies?
I like gardening and any kind of DIY.

Getting to know you
First car: Triumph Herald
First record: Itchycoo Park by Small Faces
Book currently reading: A Rebus novel by Ian Rankin
Favourite holiday destination: Benidorm
Favourite TV programme: Heroes
Famous person most like to meet: Alex Ferguson