Graham Tufft, a 66-year-old amputee from Newport, said he was given a fine by a parking warden just minutes after the council painted a disabled bay around his home
An amputee has told of his disbelief after he was handed a parking fine moments after the council painted a disabled bay around his car.
Graham Tufft, 66, from Newport, said he had spent over two years asking a designated disabled parking bay on his street, only to be handed a £70 fine minutes after it was installed.
Contractors from Newport City Council arrived the road on Monday afternoon, and marked out the space around his car as he had requested. But within minutes of the job being completed, Mr Tufft said parking warden placed a penalty charge notice (PCN) on his vehicle, giving him no time at all to display his blue badge.
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If it is paid within 14 days, it will be £35, or £70 if it is paid after the 14 day threshold, he said – but he is shocked that he has been handed the fine at all.
Mr Tufft told WalesOnline: “I didn’t even get chance to get the badge and put it in my car. My wife walked outside and saw the fine.
“I waited two years and three months for this disabled bay to be painted outside my home. I have a below-knee amputation. I have a splint on my other leg, heart failure and diabetes.”
His wife Janice said: “We weren’t actually sure whether we had to display the badge in the car or not, as obviously the car is registered to our address.
“So as they were painting the space I went online to search what to do. It said you need to display the badge, so as soon as they were done I went outside to pop it on the dashboard.
“I noticed a piece of paper. At first, I thought it was some information left by the guys that installed it. Then I opened it and saw it said fixed penalty notice and well, I was in disbelief. It is likely just a coincidence, but, it is an unbelievable one at that. The paint on the floor was still wet.”
Mr Tufft said that they rarely see traffic wardens in the street – and believes they were eager to issue a fine as soon as the bay was painted. He added: “I feel like the warden was waiting for the contractors to leave, waiting around the corner. You don’t see a parking warden here, you don’t see a policeman. It’s pretty quiet around here.”
The couple said they have started the process of appealing the penalty charge notice and have contacted Newport City Council to raise their concerns.
Newport City Council has been approached for comment.
