Fines fury af ter blitz on disabled
Patients hit by curbs on parking
THEY are notorious for their zeal in dishing out parking tickets to motorists. But now Edinburgh’s ‘ blue meanie’ traffic wardens have found a new target.
They have launched a parking blitz against disabled drivers at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Those parking in their usual spot outside the hospital are furious after being given fines.
They say they have been able to park on the double yellow lines at the hospital ‘for years’ by displaying their blue badges.
But a team of three parking wardens on scooters have slapped tickets on a row of cars – all owned by disabled people.
The victims – who were attending the hospital for issues ranging from heart complaints to knee replacements – said yellow ‘kerb blip’ markings had recently appeared, but there were no signs to alert them to the change.
Harry Finlay, 72, from Edinburgh, said he was visiting the hospital ahead of his sixth knee replacement operation, when he received a ticket l ast Wednesday.
He said: ‘I’ve parked there more than a dozen times and it’s always been fine because it doesn’t cause an obstruction.
‘I don’t know what’s changed, but suddenly I’m being fined £ 30. They’re targeting the disabled.’
The Blue Badge parking s cheme, which operates throughout the UK, allows people with severe mobility problems to park close to where they need to go.
‘I was disgusted to receive a ticket’
The concessions include free use of parking meters and payand-display bays.
Badge holders can also park for up to three hours on single and double yellow lines – so long as they are not causing an obstruction – except where there is a ban on loading or unloading or other restrictions.
The di s a bl e d pati e nts explained that the blips had only recently appeared on the stretch known as City Park. They said that while there was one small ‘no loading’ sign, it was ‘ impossible’ to see, as it faced the wrong direction, and there were no other signs informing them of the change.
Thelma Jack, 73, a retired cook from Linlithgow, West Lothian, was attending an appointment ahead of a knee replacement.
She said: ‘I’ve got a blue badge and they gave me a parking ticket. My husband and I have parked in exactly the same place several times and there are always cars parked there.
‘It is the ideal spot because it is as close to the hospital as possible and I’m in a lot of pain when I’m walking.
‘My son, who was driving me, was told by the traffic warden they’d been given a new directive. There were three of them, on scooters.’
Barry Smyth, 51, a former builder, said: ‘I’ve got a heart condition and have always parked there.
‘I parked there out of habit like everyone else – there was a whole row of cars that had tickets on them – and I never noticed any change.
‘I was disgusted to receive a ticket. When I got back to my car the warden was gone but another driver said he was informed they had been told to book people. All I can do is appeal.’
Robert Aitken, associate director of facilities at NHS Lothian, said: ‘The roads at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh are controlled by the City of Edinburgh Council.’
A council spokesman admitted enforcement had begun on the stretch recently.
She added: ‘There are appropriate signs and yellow markings on the kerb at this location, which means a blue badge cannot be used. All blue badge holders should be aware of this, as it is clearly explained
‘There were three on scooters
i n the l i terature provided when a badge is issued.
‘If a driver thinks they have received a parking ticket in error, they should contact us directly so that we may consider the case.’
NHS Lothian said there were 40 disabled parking spaces within the car parks at the hospital and this would rise to 112 once the new Royal Hospital f or Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences is completed on the site in summer 2017.