Council refuses to cancel parking ticket issued to good Samaritan

Parking ticket (stock photo)

Rochdale Borough Council has refused to cancel a parking ticket issued to a man who went to the aid of a woman in medical distress.

Andy McNamara, a qualified first aider, had dropped his daughter off at school in Norden when he spotted the woman in distress.

He immediately pulled over and realised she was going into hypoglycaemic shock due to low blood sugar as she was a diabetic. As she didn’t have her insulin injection with her, Mr McNamara sent another bystander to the school for sugary drinks/food. Another bystander called for an ambulance.

On returning to his car, Mr McNamara saw a fixed penalty notice had been issued. He said: "My anger was immediate when I saw a fixed penalty notice [parking ticket] on the car. The traffic warden could clearly see the commotion that was going on just behind my car and was surely aware that a medical emergency was happening due to the ambulance arriving.

"I used my trained skills to deal with an emergency that could have been fatal should I not have been there at that time."

He added: "I have never had a parking ticket before as I am well aware of the rules and by-laws of the parking enforcement in place across the borough."

Mr McNamara challenged the fixed penalty notice but his appeal was turned down.

Council Parking Services informed Mr McNamara that...

"Each challenge is considered on an individual basis and I have noted your comments that you were assisting with a medical incident at the gates of a nearby school at the time of the contravention. However, this does not provide exemption or grounds on which to cancel the Penalty Charge Notice. Complaints have been received by the Council pertaining to the parking of vehicles on dropped kerb facilities causing safety hazards by obstructing the sightlines of pedestrians and other motorists and restricting access. Please refer to the Highway Code which clearly states that you must not park a vehicle in obstruction of a dropped kerb facility. It is the responsibility of the motorist to check the prevailing parking conditions of an area and ensure that they park their vehicle in compliance accordingly."

Mr McNamara says he considers the refusal unfair and unjust.

In an email to the Council, he said: "What an absolute disgrace that you choose £35 over the sake of someone’s potential life in a serious medical situation."

Mr McNamara has now paid the fine but was also annoyed at the length of time it took for the Council to respond to his appeal, he said: "I appealed this parking decision that was given out on 10 December 2015 and it has taken them four months to get back to me."