Disabled Brough woman brands council 'heartless' after ticket appeal rejection
A DISABLED woman has branded council officials "heartless" after they rejected her appeal over an parking ticket.
Single mum-of-two Jane Hewlett was issued with a penalty notice the day after a friend had driven her home to Brough from a session at the severe pain clinic at Castle Hill Hospital in September.
-
FINED: Jane Hewlett received a parking ticket outside her home in Brough. Picture: Jerome Ellerby.
Unaware her friend had forgotten to put Mrs Hewlett's disability blue badge back on display after parking outside her house, Mrs Hewlett only discovered the ticket after it was issued by a council traffic warden the following morning.
Mrs Hewlett, 41, who suffers from fibromyalgia and arthritis, said: "Because of my condition, it takes me a while to get properly moving in the morning. By the time I got out to the car that day a warden had given me a ticket.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
"There is a restriction on our street from 10am to 11am to prevent commuters using Brough railway station from parking there.
"Unfortunately, I did not get out to my car until it was too late and didn't realise my blue badge had not been on display."
Mrs Hewlett claimed officials at East Riding Council had ignored her medical issues in her appeal against the penalty notice.
"I explained everything that happened in my appeal letter but it still got thrown out.
"It seems a particularly heartless thing to do.
"To make matters worse, the original penalty of £35 has now been increased to £105 because I refused to pay it.
"They won't even accept payment in instalments which makes it even worse for me because I can't work because of my condition and have to rely on benefits."
John Skidmore, head of streetscene services at East Riding Council, said: "The council is unable to comment on individual cases.
"However, in general terms, if a blue badge-holder does not display their badge and parks their vehicle in contravention to local traffic regulations then they are likely to be issued with a penalty charge notice as the civil enforcement officer will not know that the motorist concerned is a member of the blue badge scheme.
"If the individual appeals, as they have the right to do so, the facts will be examined as part of the appeals process, which is set out in legislation, and it will either be upheld or rejected, based on the facts.
"The full appeals process is made clear to anyone in receipt of a penalty charge notice."
The Mail recently revealed how almost 300 motorists a week are being fined for parking illegally in the East Riding.
The council took over responsibility for on-street parking enforcement from Humberside Police 12 months ago.
Over the year 5,259 tickets were handed out – more than the total number issued by the police in the previous three years.
Council leader Stephen Parnaby said no one liked getting a ticket but claimed there had only been a small number of complaints about the wardens.
Comments
by thebroughone
Saturday, December 22 2012, 9:49AM
“blah blah blah, get on with it and just pay the fine!! as stated in the story your not the only one that sgets them!”
by JAZZBO129
Friday, December 21 2012, 11:14PM
“sorry no sympathy here you didnt display your blue disabilty card your own fault so pay the fine and shut the f--k up moaning.”
by Jacko147
Friday, December 21 2012, 3:19PM
“Some good advice.
Pay the fine and get on with your life, dont go to the local paper and pleed that you are hard done by, hoping that some good samaritan will take pity on you because its christmas and pay it for you. Life is full or rules, get caught breaking them, pay the consequences. Oh, and dont eat yellow snow.”
by steveodore
Friday, December 21 2012, 1:39PM
“warhero,
The only one making stupid mistakes is you, you fool.
If I were you I'd keep it shut, you're just making yourself look thick.”
by AstynomiaKats
Friday, December 21 2012, 12:04PM
“John Skidmore, head of streetscene services at East Riding Council, said: "The council is unable to comment on individual cases.
Only they do when it suits them.
The East Riding Council doesn't care about the poor, sick and vulnerable, just the greedy rich and fat cats.”
by warhero1946
Friday, December 21 2012, 11:52AM
“Cop on and let it go, This lady has put up with enough Publicity from Begrudgers , Anyone can forget to put up a Blue Badge Parking Permit for Disabled Drivers, How many People are Driving around without Driving Licence Tax Disc or Insurance for that matter, Come on Give this Lady a Break , Give her advice and not Stupid remarks about Free Cars Etc,
GERRY.”
by GarethC2010
Friday, December 21 2012, 11:22AM
“So she didnt display her free badge for her free car ?
No story here. She admits she didnt display it. The warden has every right to issue the ticket and the court has every right to uphold it.
If I buy a ticket and forget to display, or if it falls off the window I get a ticket. I would not have the ticket cancelled if I went to court so I'm not sure what the case is here.
This lady needs to just belt up and pay the fine and it should remind her for next time.
Typical sensationalist HDM writing stories with the stereotypical 'sad poor old me' photograph.”
by BigJohn
Friday, December 21 2012, 11:14AM
“Judging from the arrow patterns, our friends in council employ have been busy. That's fine but I do hope that you are not doing your private Internetting during the hours when we pay you to pretend to work.”
by helenlpage
Friday, December 21 2012, 10:41AM
“The local authority give you a free car based on a form and a couple of medicals? Excuse me?
To get motability you need to be in receipt of higher rate mobility allowance. You order your car, sign several forms, pay a heafty deposit and for any adaptations you need for the car. Some are free but many others aren't - the adapted car which would of changed my life, allowing me to go out in my powerchair with my kids, would still have required a 3000 deposit. Rather than paying you benefits the dwp give the money to motability on your behalf.
To get higher rate mobility is increasingly difficult. I've just lost mine after 5 years and it's lead to a loss in my blue badge and of my car. I can't afford the adaptations I had on my motability car because it hikes up insurance costs so can't drive far. the insurance and maintenance are crippling. i have to have a car which fit my kids in and my wheelchair in so i have to have a larger car and i have to have a car because i can't walk far without being in pain.
to get hrm dla is getting really hard. I've just been through 9 months of trauma trying to get back the benefit I have had for the past 5 years. Before anyone shouts at me, I work, run my own business and volunteer 2 nights a week with girl guiding so believe me, I'm not someone who wants something for nothing believe me. Give me the energy and take away the pain so it's not such a struggle and i'd give up on the money!
As for blue badges GPs no longer sign the forms. You automatically qualify if you get the benefit above but if not you have to go for a medical after filling out a 2 20 odd page forms. After that you have to attend this medical centre which is accessible but of course it's nowhere near a bus stop and although there is accessible parking, if you don't have a blue badge the nearest parking is miles away. You get the drift!
Maybe it's time people stopped reading the daily mail and starting talking to disabled people. start by checking out the wow petition and spartacus report.”
by arntdullinul
Friday, December 21 2012, 9:59AM
“I am always amazed at the term 'single parent family'. I only know of one single parent family and it happened about 2000 years ago and even that is disputed by some. Do they mean family with only one responsible parent or widow or other perhaps other parent gone walkabout. It's an odd view that, in these walkabout circumstances, it is considered the state should automatically pick up the tab for such irresponsibility by parents. I have a quite a few kids (all grown up now, well over 18!) and had the privilege of making an appropriate financial contribution to the upbringing of them all.”