Motorist hit with parking fine after using disabled bay while delivering blood to Lancaster hospital

A man delivering urgent blood supplies to a Lancaster hospital was slapped with a parking ticket when he parked in a disabled bay for two minutes.
Gary Bartholomew's emergency response vehicle, which was given a parking ticket outside BMI Lancaster.Gary Bartholomew's emergency response vehicle, which was given a parking ticket outside BMI Lancaster.
Gary Bartholomew's emergency response vehicle, which was given a parking ticket outside BMI Lancaster.

Gary Bartholomew said he was “disgusted” to find the fine being handed out when he returned to his vehicle – a marked up, blue lighted, Skoda rapid response vehicle.

He had stopped in a disabled bay outside the BMI Lancaster Hospital in Meadowside on Tuesday morning, and said he left the car for two minutes while making his delivery.

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“Upon coming back to my marked, blue lighted vehicle I noticed the parking warden giving me a ticket,” said Gary, who lives in Lancaster.

“I explained that I was delivering to the hospital theatre but he wasn’t interested.

“I am totally disgusted with this unreasonable jobsworth person; even a member of the public had spoken to him also expressing his disgust with him but he was not bothered, he just said ‘you’re not an emergency vehicle and you can’t park there’.

“I want to express my dismay with the way in which these people operate and do not give any leeway to companies delivering essential and vital equipment to hospitals.”

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Gary works for Medical Support UK, a private company based in Burnley which delivers blood, medical equipment and blood samples all over the UK.

He said his boss was later informed that he would have been better off parking on double yellow lines rather than using a disabled bay.
“I thought it would be better parking [in the disabled bay] as the yellow lines are on a bend and I would cause an obstruction,” he said.

Gary’s boss has now been told to appeal the ticket in writing.

He said: “I feel that there is no common sense shown towards me and the job which we do in delivering urgent blood, equipment and staff to the NHS and private hospitals.

“They are just interested in gaining revenue.”

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A spokesman for Lancashire County Council, who issue the fines, said: “There is limited disabled parking at this site and we will issue a penalty to any vehicle which is not displaying a valid blue badge.

“If the motorist can provide evidence that they had to park due to an emergency situation we would take that into consideration as part of an appeal.”