'I was at Warwick Hospital with a heart problem while a traffic warden was ticketing my car in Leamington'

A Cubbington man received a parking fine after he was rushed from his GP surgery to Warwick Hospital despite medical centre staff putting a sign on his windscreen to tell traffic wardens of his plight.

Paul Cronin, 60, had gone for a check-up at the Sherbourne Medical Centre in Leamington last month and had paid to park for two hours in an on-street bay in Oxford Street nearby.

But Paul, who sufferers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was rushed to Warwick Hospital by ambulance from the medical centre after a test showed that his heart rate was at 162 beats per minute - a dangerously high level.

A Paul's request, staff at the centre put a note on the windscreen of his car to tell traffic wardens about his emergency situation.

But while he waited in A&E he received a call from a friend, who he had asked to drive the car back to his home, to tell him that he had been given a ticket anyway.

The fine was for £25 rising to £50 is it was not paid within 14 days of it being issued.

Paul, who ended up undergoing an atrial flutter ablation procedure to bring his heartbeat back to normal levels and spent 11 days at the hospital, said: "It was unbelievable

"The situation had been explained to the traffic warden through the sign on the car and staff had come out to talk to them.

"But they still put the ticket on the car anyway

"From my point of view sat in A&E and being told I have heart issues and then told you have a parking ticket was shocking.

"I am going to appeal and I expect it will be accepted but a humane element was missing in all this."

Traffic wardens work on behalf of the on-street parking authority Warwickshire County Council.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The civil enforcement officer will issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) where a vehicle is observed to be parked in contravention of parking restrictions.

"While they will record the presence of any notes, they will not be taken into account when issuing a PCN.

"This is because a note has no validity, could have been left by anyone, or may indeed be false. It is also to avoid any allegations of favouritism if one vehicle in contravention receives a PCN and another does not.

"The appeals process is in place to allow the driver (or Registered Keeper of the vehicle, depending on the stage of the PCN) to give such reasons in mitigation that they believe should be grounds to cancel the PCN.

"The staff assessing appeals are fully trained in the legal process, and have complete separation from the CEO who issued the PCN.

"They will take into account any evidence provided to support the appeal made, in making their decision."

More information about the appeals process is available at https://www.patrol-uk.info/ and http://www.knowyourparkingrights.org/