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Above: Alister and Sophie Campbell with their five-year-old son Archie, celebrating after their parking fine was torn up by Camden Council |
Little Archie’s fine torn up as parking chiefs do a U-turn
Council caused ‘unnecessary stress’ by issuing ticket as couple dropped disabled son at class
A FAMILY with a young disabled child have scored a rare victory against parking chiefs after council bosses finally agreed to drop a penalty charge against them.
The Campbell family, who live in Hemingford Road, Barnsbury, were ticketed while they dropped off their five-year-old son Archie – who suffers from a life-threatening genetic condition that makes him unable to walk or speak – at a music therapy class in Camden last month.
Parking bosses for the neighbouring borough acknowledged the family’s appeals that their disability blue badge had been stolen, but ruled the fine should still stand until the Tribune intervened.
They have now agreed to refund the parking ticket.
Sophie Campbell said the attitude of the council’s parking department was causing “unnecessary stress” to families already struggling with disability.
She added: “Some of the families with disabilities are at risk of social exclusion – if you’re frightened about the risk of parking wardens it puts people off going out altogether. It’s not fair to blue badge users. Their lives are more difficult. Camden should try to be a bit kinder to them.”
Her husband Alister, who is also registered disabled after his stomach was removed because of blood poisoning in 2004, said he believed it was only because they had approached the Tribune that the council had changed their minds.
“Otherwise they would have called in the bailiffs,” he added.
A Camden Council spokeswoman said: “The council works hard to ensure that parking reserved for blue badge holders is not abused by other drivers.
“Having reviewed the circumstances we are now happy that Mr Campbell did everything he could to park according to the law once he realised his blue badge had been stolen.
“We have therefore agreed to cancel the ticket that was issued to him and will refund the charge in full. |
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