An OAP slapped with a fine for parking outside his own home claimed he repeatedly asked for a disabled bay to be moved after he was widowed SIX years ago.
Jimmy Dick, 79, lost his wife Mardell in a tragic car smash in April 2014.
For around 30 years, a disabled parking bay had been right outside the couple’s home in Barrie Street, Dunfermline, Fife.
Jimmy says the family approached Fife Council shortly after Mardell’s death, when they returned the blue badge she was issued with, and asked when the lines would be taken away.
But nothing was done, and for six years the large parking space marked ‘disabled’ in bright white capped letters remained outside the semi-detached house.
On January 23, Jimmy was stunned to find he had been slapped with a penalty charge notice for parking in it – and claims that only two days before he had requested the bay’s markings were removed, through Fife Council’s online system.
A PCN from Fife Council is £60 unless paid within two weeks, when it is reduced to £30.
The local authority defended its actions and said it had no record of a request being made to remove the lines.
Jimmy said: “When my wife died, my daughter handed in the blue badge straight away and she said, ‘Will you be coming to take the lines away?’ but no-one has ever turned up.
“I have been parking in it for the last six years and all of a sudden I get a ticket.
“The space is right in the middle of my house.
“They never said I couldn’t park there.
“I have been here for 30 years and it’s the first time we have had a traffic warden come up and put tickets on.”
The widower was relieved to be told the council will be removing the space – but it could take six months to happen.
He added: “I have waited six years – I don’t suppose another six months is going to make a difference.”
Phil Clarke, lead consultant, roads and transportation services for Fife Council, said: “At the time, the disabled bay was clearly marked and disabled parking bays should only be used by blue badge-holders.
“After receiving a penalty charge notice, Mr Dick contacted us and requested the removal of the disabled bay.
“We have no record of any previous request to have the bay removed.
“In many cases where residents advise us that bays are no longer required, they are reallocated to another blue badge-holding resident or continue to be used by other blue badge-holders.
“All disabled bays should be kept clear for blue badge-holders, which includes both residents and visitors to the area.
“Six months is our standard timetable for bay removal as these are done in batches.
“This also gives time for us to reallocate a disabled bay to another resident, so avoiding the need to remove a bay only to then have to re-mark it.”