Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Parking firm under fire
Mum claims midwife was issued with ticket
A MUM has hit out at a “greedy” parking firm over claims it fined a midwife attending to her as she went into labour at home.
Karine De Gernier, 32, was in her house on Chandlers Lane, City Quay, last Tuesday when her waters broke.
An NHS Tayside midwife was sent out to assist the full-time mum.
However, Karine claims the uniformed nurse was fined by Vehicle Control Services (VCS) for parking in a residents-only area outside her door.
She said: “The midwife told us that the warden had started issuing a ticket before she even got out of the car.
“She told the warden who she was and why she was there, and he just said she would have to dispute it.
“Surely, if someone has a good reason to be there, you’d let them stay.”
Husband Paul, 39, added: “They’ve got no common sense. These companies are greedy.”
It’s not the first Karine and Paul have had with VCS. They claim attendants began placing fines on their car daily, as early as 6.30am, and told them to apply for a permit.
It’s claimed one warden told the couple to place a handwritten note on the windscreen to cover themselves – a claim the company has since denied – but the fines continued regardless.
Karine added: “I just don’t get why they couldn’t give us some leeway when we did apply for a permit.
“We shouldn’t have been getting fined – nor should we have had to pay £10 a day at the pay and display across the way to park.”
When contacted by the Tele, VCS initially denied it had received a request for a permit from the De Gerniers – only backtracking when shown evidence.
The firm has also denied that it issued a ticket to a midwife, saying: “The private car park in question is for use by valid permit holders only. “We refute the allegations made.” Despite being born two weeks early, baby girl Violet is healthy and doing well.
NHS Tayside declined to comment on the matter.