‘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. The paint on the floor was still wet.’
Graham Tufft has been fined £70 for parking in his own disabled parking bay, moments after it was installed outside his home in Newport(Image: John Myers)
Less than five minutes after the council painted a man’s long-awaited disabled bay outside his home a warden handed him a parking fine.
Graham Tufft, 66, from Newport, has been left in disbelief as moments after the council were done installing his designated disabled parking bay on his street, he got handed a £70 parking fine for not having his blue badge on show.
“I didn’t even get chance to get the badge and put it in my car. My wife walked outside and saw the fine,” Mr Tufft told WalesOnline. “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.”
Contractors from Newport City Council arrived at East Usk Road, Newport, on Monday afternoon and marked out the space around his car, as Mr Tufft had requested.
But within minutes of the job being completed Mr Tufft told how a parking warden placed a penalty charge notice (PCN) on his vehicle.
If it is paid within 14 days, it will be £35, or £70 if it is paid after the 14 day threshold, he has been told. Never miss a Newport story by subscribing to our newsletter here
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 to him the oddest part is that they rarely see traffic wardens in the street. 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.
