Sheffield parking: Disabled pensioner fined £70 for 'parking on his drive'
A disabled Sheffield pensioner is fighting a £70 fine for parking on what he describes as the drive outside his house.
Ian Gaunt, aged 84, leaves his car in a ‘bay’ off Herries Road that leads to his home at Wardsend Cottages.
It is between two raised areas of asphalt and does not block the pedestrian footway, which runs behind, he says.
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Mr Gaunt, who has a Blue Badge due to mobility problems, says it is his only option because he doesn’t want to park on busy Herries Road and cause an obstruction, or on the pavement, blocking pedestrians.
He also doesn’t have permission to park on the private drive leading to the cottages.
He said: “There’s a drop kerb on Herries Road specifically so vehicles can get to the cottages, so it’s part of the drive. I’m not in anyone’s way.”
Mr Gaunt received a £70 Penalty Charge Notice in September for parking in a 'special enforcement area'.
He appealed, but the authority said he also broke the Highway Code by blocking an area where the kerb has been lowered, and a waiting restriction also applies.
A letter to him states: “Whilst I note that you have said you was parked on your private driveway, we have checked this area and we are confident that this is not the case.”
A spokesperson for the authority said Sheffield City Council started enforcing vehicles parked on dropped kerbs from May 20 2024.
They added: “We have written to Mr Gaunt about this but will be doing so again to clarify our position with regards to his PCN and the options that are available to him.”