Stop fining us! Distraught elderly couple slapped with parking tickets outside their own home
An elderly couple in Tipton who live opposite a school have said they keep receiving parking fines – despite their car always being parked outside their home.
Desmond and May Sharman, both in their 80s, have become distraught due to the repeat incidents – which their nephew Nigel Salter said was causing them ‘unnecessary stress’.
The 52 year old said his aunt and uncle felt they are ‘easy targets’ because of their age.
Cabinet member David Hosell said the council had now resolved the problem and 'no further notices will be issued to [Mr Sharman] in future'.
Store manager Mr Salter, who views the elderly pair as ‘the parents he never had’, said: “They live opposite Great Bridge School in Mount Street so of course its chaos at 3pm, people are practically suicidal where they park. It’s impossible for my aunt and uncle to get out.
“But a warden regularly comes round, because of the school, and keeps ticketing him.
“I feel like at this sort of age they shouldn’t be getting this aggravation. My aunt is quite ill and she’s really upset by all of this.”
The couple have been living in their home for nearly 40 years, and view their car as ‘a lifeline’.
Mr Sharman, 87, regularly uses it to take his wife to medical appointments, or to visit friends and family.
Thankfully, they have not had to pay the fines – at £70 each – but Mr Salter said it was something they ‘just didn’t need’.
He added: “We contested the fine but it was rejected by letter. So we had to go into the council offices, and luckily a girl overturned them there.
"But it’s just extra stress they don’t need.”
Councillor Hosell, cabinet member for highways and environment, said: “Mr Sharman provided written consent to carry out legal enforcement outside his property which the council has powers to do.
"The consent was for all vehicles including his own to be issued with Penalty Charge Notices.
“Mr Sharman was issued with a Penalty Charge Notice, however the notice was cancelled the following day after he provided details proving the vehicle belonged to him.
“Those details have been retained for our records to make sure no further notices will be issued to him in future.
"There is no record of any other notices issued to Mr Sharman for similar contraventions.”
