A taxi driver is to appeal a fine he was given after parking in an alleyway to allow him to safely pick up a wheelchair passenger in Blackburn town centre.
Taxi driver, Altaf Patel, arrived at his pick-up point in his wheelchair accessible taxi but his customer wasn’t waiting.
Mr Patel decided it was best to move away from the traffic and parked in a nearby alleyway at Darwen Street. He then went inside to let his passenger know he’s arrived.
Parking Fine
“A fine of £35 is more than I earn in a day sometimes. I couldn’t just leave my disabled customer and drive off.”
A few moments later when Mr Patel returned to his vehicle he was shocked to find a parking fine on his windscreen with a record stating that the situation was “Observed from 15:31 to 15:31”.
Mr Patel said: “I’m really angry, furious in fact. This traffic warden was far too keen and over-zealous. I was only there for a minute to collect a wheelchair passenger.
“A fine of £35 is more than I earn in a day sometimes. I couldn’t just leave my disabled customer and drive off.”
Period of Grace
A spokesman for Blackburn and Darwen Council said that taxis have a period of grace in which they are allowed to park on double yellow lines if picking up a passenger.
He commented: “The driver can appeal the penalty notice. There’s a period of grace for parking on or near yellow lines when picking up fares.”
Mr Patel the warden could have waited a few minutes to find out what the situation was before proceeding with the penalty.
He said: “I’ll definitely be appealing it. Some of the traffic wardens are too rigid, especially with taxi drivers. She could have waited and asked me to move on – I wasn’t obstructing the traffic and made sure my taxi was off the double yellow lines and out of the way.”