Parking Woes UK

DRIVERS were fined for parking in a doctor’s bay two years after the GP left the area, leaving the space empty. Window cleaner Gary Swann, 47, said the council had treated him “like a criminal” for parking in the bay. Parking chiefs have waived two tickets Mr Swann was given and have pledged to remove the painted lines marking the bay in Cliff Road, off Camden Road, in Camden Town. Mr Swann said a lack of parking spaces in his road meant he was forced to leave his car in the bay. Last week, the New Journal reported how internal memos in the parking department had instructed staff to find “quick wins” at a time when income from parking penalties was falling. Chief officers insisted the orders were aimed at understanding the drop in revenue rather than generating extra cash. A council press official said: “The parking bay is clearly marked for use by doctor’s permit holders only between 8am and 8pm each day and Mr Swann’s penalty charge notice was issued legitimately. “However, there are now no active doctor’s permits in the area so we are arranging for the bay to be changed to resident permit parking. As a result, we have cancelled Mr Swann’s PCN.” But the official warned: “Residents should not use the bay until it is re-marked.”

A window cleaner who drives his terminally-ill friend to window cleaning jobs was issued with a parking ticket that he says he should not have to pay. Chris Mead, 53, of Chiseldon, received the fine in May for parking on double yellow lines at the rear of the Iceland store in Swindon town centre. Mr Mead displayed a disabled blue badge in the front of his white transit van, which means he could park in this area for up to three hours, as long as he was not obstructing emergency exits. But Mr Mead was not the owner of the badge. Instead it was his friend, who has a brain tumour. Swindon Council has said he did not appeal against the notice within 14 days of it being issued, so the £65 charge will stand. Mr Mead, who said he parked on the double yellow lines for just 10 minutes, said his 52-year-old friend, who does not wish to be named, now has limited work as Mr Mead cannot transport him around Swindon for fear of getting further tickets. “He can’t drive as he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour four years ago,” said Mr Mead, who runs C&S Window Cleaning. “I have been driving him to jobs in Swindon and picking him up when he’s finished.
“We haven’t had a problem in that time until earlier in the year. “He wants to keep working and now he can’t get to as many jobs because of this ticket. “The traffic warden even put the notice onto the windscreen when my friend was sitting in the car. “He might be disabled but he is not incapable of working. “He should be allowed to continue to work.” A spokeswoman for Swindon Council said: “Anyone who receives a fixed penalty notice has the opportunity to appeal against it and all cases are dealt with on an individual basis. “Mr Mead did not initially challenge the notice or pay the fine, which explains why the fine has increased. “We encourage Mr Mead to contact us, so we can address his complaint as soon as possible. “Ultimately, Mr Mead can also take the matter to the Independent Adjudicators and the decision of this ruling body would be final.”