Branding Hounslow Council’s procedures as “utterly insensitive”
Lib Dem MP Vincent Cable has attacked Hounslow Council for what he described as "vindictive" and "inhumane" treatment meted out by the parking department to local residents.
His comments follow the treatment of two local residents, one of whom was visiting a seriously ill relative, at West Middlesex Hospital and who both parked on Park Road which runs alongside the hospital and which, says Cable, has no traffic safety issues.
According to Cable, a 76 year old woman, who was feeding her critically ill husband, was told her car was being towed away. Abandoning her husband she had to get a taxi to retrieve her car from White City only to have permission initially refused because she did not have insurance papers. She was eventually given her car but not until she paid the £250 charge.
The second case occurred on the same stretch of road where woman with throat cancer was fined £100 after her appeal that the parking ticket had been removed from the car was rejected.
Cable said, "I get some pretty outrageous cases of unfair parking fines. But Hounslow Council are the limit. They seem utterly insensitive to hardship cases and show no flexibility.
“The case of the elderly lady whose car was towed away is utterly appalling with no expression of regret. I am seeking to have her compensated for the cost and given an apology.”
He went onto warn residents who do not use the official car park to be mindful of what could happen.
In response, a spokesperson for the council said that parking attendants were not aware of personal circumstances when they issued tickets as it was their job was parking enforcement. “If someone has received a ticket they disagree with, they can appeal. Details of how to challenge a ticket are written on the notice.”
April 18, 2008