OAP’s helpers have parking fine quashed (From York Press)

OAP’s helpers have parking fine quashed

10:26am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Press reporter

Enid Oliver in her space in the car park in Moss Street, York.

An 84-year-old pensioner who faced a fine from a private company when a pair of “Good Samaritan” friends did not have a parking sticker in their car has had the ticket quashed.

Enid Oliver was delighted to see David and Anne Storey come to her aid when she had a fall at her home in Moss Street.

They parked in the visitor’s parking slot by her home that Mrs Oliver had bought. But she was so shaken by her accident, she forgot to give them a visitor’s permit to put on their dashboard.

After they spent an hour sitting with her and making sure she was all right, they found a parking ticket for £40 on their car.

Minster Baywatch, who are responsible for monitoring parking arrangements near the property, had issued it because there was no permit displayed.

Despite Mrs Oliver telling them the car had been a visitor’s car and had been correctly parked, apart from the permit, and why she had forgotten to give her friends the permit, they said the ticket must be paid.

“I think it is terrible,” she said. “I can’t expect my friends to pay the fine. I am just a pensioner on very little means. I think it is awful they should pick on vulnerable people like this.”

However, after being contacted by The Press, Minster Baywatch decided to revoke the fine.

A spokesman said the case had been referred to the company’s inquiry team, who look at compassionate cases.

He said: “The ticket was issued and it was correctly issued. Looking at the ticket again we can now appreciate this was a genuine case.

“Our job is not to cause distress.”