Taxi driver gets parking ticket while helping elderly customerA TAXI driver has branded as 'absolutely ridiculous' a local authority's decision to give him a parking ticket as he helped a confused elderly woman.
Jason Beattie, 44, drives for Kendal's Blue Star Taxis, which appealed the £35 fine on compassionate grounds.
But Cumbria County Council decided not to cancel the ticket - a decision the taxi driver describes as 'draconian'.
Mr Beattie collected the woman, described as in her 80s and walking with a frame, from sheltered housing in Kendal on September 3.
He said she was confused about the location of her chiropody appointment and, after unsuccessfully trying Blackhall Road and Sandes Avenue, the customer asked to be taken to the Market Place.
As it was market day, the taxi rank there was unavailable, so Mr Beattie 'tucked away' the Peugeot Partner vehicle beside the war memorial and escorted his passenger through the busy market.
It was then that she showed him her appointment letter, which explained that the the chiropodist was located at the Blackhall Unit at Westmorland General Hospital, not Blackhall Road.
Concerned for his passenger's welfare, Mr Beattie guided her back to the taxi, where a parking ticket had been issued during his 10 to 15-minute absence.
"I thought it was absolutely ridiculous," he said. "It could have been my mum or my grandma and I couldn't leave anybody like that."
He told the Gazette: "I'm not going to abandon an old lady that doesn't quite know where she's going. I thought as soon as the council had a letter of explanation there wouldn't be a problem, but there obviously is."
Mr Beattie added: "I understand there have to be parking rules, but at the same time I've got a duty of care to the customers."
Blue Star Taxis owner Andrew Britton said that his drivers went 'out of their way' to help elderly, frail, infirm and disabled passengers.
He told the Gazette he was not asking for 'carte blanche' for taxi drivers to park wherever they liked, but that they should be able to serve the community 'without fear of retribution'. As the owner of the taxi, he said he would continue to appeal the ticket.
A spokesperson for Cumbria County Council told the Gazette: “The council carries out on-street parking enforcement in order to improve road safety, ensure the smooth flow of traffic and prevent inconsiderate parking.
"In this particular case, if Mr Britton wishes to challenge the ticket, he can do so through the council’s normal appeals process. All appeals are carefully considered by the council and parking tickets can be quashed in cases where we believe they have been issued unfairly or there are extenuating circumstances.
"In instances where the council decides there is no case for a ticket to be cancelled, drivers still have the opportunity to make a further appeal to the independent parking adjudicator.”
source:
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/11543920._/
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