Taxi Driver Online

Blackburn taxi’s driver booked as he helped disabled passenger


PARKING in Blackburn town centre has been criticised after a taxi driver was hit with a penalty notice despite displaying his passenger’s disabled badge.

Taxi driver Mohamed Shafiq, 42, received a ticket while helping a partially sighted pensioner to her hair appointment at Alan Rene’s hair salon in Church Street.

The pensioner’s badge was displayed in the vehicle but had not been seen by the parking attendant, Mr Shafiq said.

Staff at Alan Rene hit out about the state of parking in Blackburn, saying the extension of The Mall has lead to an ‘inconvenience’ for their customers.

Mr Shafiq, who works for B and B Taxis, claims he was ‘literally two minutes’ helping a regular customer to her weekly appointment.

He said: “I can’t believe a ticket was issued for being helpful. I placed the lady’s disabled badge in the front window so I could get her safely to the hairdresser, it’s terrible.”

Receptionist Victoria Blackmoor said she usually goes back to the taxi, with the driver to collect the badge for the salon’s ‘regular customer’.

She added: “It really is a shame that the council issue tickets to helpful drivers. The parking situation is a joke and it’s affecting the business.”

Coun Alan Cottam, exec-utive member for regen-eration and environment, said that the taxi driver should appeal against the £60 charge if he thought it was not fair.

He said: “The area at the top of Church Street is double yellows and double kerb blips so no parking is allowed, not even with a blue badge.

“We would encourage people to appeal if they feel that they have been given a ticket unfairly.”

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Drivers should drop passengers off in a legalised area and let the passengers complain to the council. Drivers should not jepordise a fine for being helpful under illegal circumstances.

Perhaps we should set up a "Park legally awareness campaign" and let councillors know that cab drivers will no longer risk a fine for doing a good turn.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

The traffic wardens up here never issue tickets to disabled badge holders, they wont issue them regardless of what the road marking state, even when they have the cheek to park on our rank
but taxi drivers and the public are moved on or issued with them even when attempting to drop off
now what was that word again oh yes Geronimo

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I suspect there is a picture of the vehicle taken by the officer when he gave the ticket.

Methinks this is a good story, is it true? Who knows?

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IDFIMH