Ambulance driver fined for using hospital space

On-duty employee was trying to help patient when he was ticketed

An ambulance driver was ticketed by car park staff at Ninewells while he was trying to organise transport for a terminally ill patient.

Robin Yule has been forced to fork out £100 to Indigo – the private firm that runs the hospital car park – after they told debt collectors to chase him up.

Mr Yule, who has been with the Scottish Ambulance Service for three decades, had driven to Ninewells to work out how to move a terminally-ill patient who wanted the “dignity” of living out the remainder of their life at home.

He took an unmarked pool car from his offices on School Road to the hospital and claims he used an “ambulance only” bay as it was common practice for staff.

Mr Yule returned – having helped organise the patient’s transport – and there was no ticket on his vehicle.

“I had been asked to go down to help out a patient who was terminally ill and required a special bariatric transport to get home,” he said.

“At the time, I used one of the registered pool cars – a white Honda CRV – which although it doesn’t have obvious Scottish Ambulance Service markings, still has blue lights.

“When I came back to the car, having helped organise for the patient to have a little bit of dignity at home, there wasn’t any ticket on the windscreen.

“Weeks later a fine is sent to the office coinciding with when I used the car.

“I tried to appeal the fine, using all the appropriate channels and was sent an email saying I had no option but to pay it.

“The debt enforcement agency, ZZPS, escalated the fine because of the amount of time which has since passed, to £100. I didn’t want any court action or to have debt collectors chasing me further, so I have paid it.

“I am so angry and just disgusted it has been allowed to go this far.”

Mr Yule tried to appeal the fine in the first instance, writing to ZZPS – the debt recovery agency tasked with sending letters threatening court action if fines go unpaid – to explain what had happened.

His response was an email stating: “As this site is private land you must adhere to the terms and conditions of the site.

“Please note that as you were the driver you had 28 days to appeal from the date of the contravention, as such, the time frame for submitting an appeal has now lapsed.

“Our client feels there is sufficient evidence to pursue this PCN (penalty charge notice) and have maintained their instruction to recover the outstanding balance. If the account remains unresolved, it will progress to debt recovery.”

A spokesman for the parking firm

“I am so angry and just disgusted it has been allowed to go this far.

ROBIN YULE

said: “Indigo will look to work with the Scottish Ambulance Services for a process to be implemented to allow non-marked ambulance vehicles to park in alternative bays free of charge when they are transporting patients...

“It is important that customers engage with us at the earliest opportunity if they wish to appeal a notice. Only marked ambulances can use ambulance bays, they are not available for patient transport or staff.”

North East Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “This is an appalling situation for Mr Yule, and anyone involved in chasing him for money must be mortified.

“We’re now at the stage of asking medical professionals to get other medics to validate their parking.

“As I’ve said many times, the parking status quo at Ninewells is not working.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “The member of staff in question was on duty helping a patient when he parked an unmarked service vehicle in a space reserved for ambulances and service vehicles.

“In a rush, he unfortunately forgot to place an exemption sign on the dashboard and the vehicle subsequently acquired a fine. We are disappointed by the parking company’s decision and we will be taking this matter up with them.”