A taxi driver has urged parking enforcers to reconsider an "appalling" £100 fine after he left his car to help elderly and disabled customers get home from the theatre.
Nigel Stead, from Driving Miss Daisy, stopped in the Wolsey Car Park, in Chapman Lane, while he helped two customers into his car.
He had dropped them off on November 24, for the theatre's Goldilocks and the Three Bears panto, an event the pair regularly attend every year.
Napier Parking, who runs the car park in Ipswich, say the car park's regulations are clearly sign posted and taxi services should use temporary alternative parking nearby.
Mr Stead said: "They love going to events like this so we are as accommodating as possible to ensure they enjoy the occasion.
"In this instance, we were advised the show would finish around 10pm so we waited to enter the car park at the top of the ramp after this time to be ready for when they came out, parking in a disabled space with a disabled badge in a timely manner.
"When the panto goers started to leave the theatre, there was no sign of the couple, which is obviously worrying, as anything could have happened, so we waited but eventually went into the building to check their whereabouts."
Eventually, the couple was found, assisted back to the car, and driven safely home.
Mr Stead admits to parking there knowing it was camera controlled but questioned where else he could park to have reasonable access to collect elderly customers.
He did appeal the decision, with both the subcontractor and the Independent Appeal Service (IAS), but has been denied both times.
Mr Stead said: "I am shocked and amazed that the IAS said no, because that is the whole point of appealing.
"I had reasonable grounds to make the appeal, it certainly wasn't intended, and it certainly wasn't malicious.
"It was done for all the right reasons to help these two customers, so I don't understand the logic behind not overturning the decision in those circumstances."
He continued to say that he does not have an axe to grind with the Wolsey Theatre, but after this incident, is worried about taking people to the theatre for fear of being fined.
Rob Gibson, a trustee at the Disabled Advice Service in East Suffolk, commented: "This is appalling.
"Driving Miss Daisy Ipswich provides a great specialist transport service for people with mobility problems.
"For the safety and security of their often vulnerable passengers, they naturally need to get close to the location where their customers want to go and it takes more time than usual to ensure their passengers are safely dropped off.
"Public venues should all have arrangements in place to accommodate their customers with special needs and a vital service like this should not receive a parking fine in these circumstances.
"It's just wrong."
Napier Parking has said that it is a camera-controlled car park so "anyone using it and breaching the terms and conditions, is liable for a fixed charge."
A spokesperson said: "This should come as no surprise to the driver as there are clear signs at the entrance and throughout the car park.
"We provide a free (time limited) pick up and drop off bay by the theatre that makes it easy for taxi pick ups and drop offs, taxi drivers should use that area.
"It is located outside the entrance to the Spiral Car Park, there are no steps in that area either.
"This is the first incident that I can recall in circa five years where I have had an issue of this nature raised by a taxi at this location."
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