A Broughty Ferry business owner has claimed Dundee City Council was more concerned about an elderly woman’s parking ticket than her health after she slipped and fell on ice in a council car park.
Pauline Davidson and her staff at the Ferry’s Partners Hair and Beauty Salon say they have spotted “dozens” of people fall and suffer injuries on ungritted sections of the car park in Queen Street through the years.
In the latest incident, she rushed to the aid of a lady who had fallen and hit her head in the car park on Friday morning. The woman also suffered a broken wrist.
Pauline said staff are on the phone every winter to warn Dundee City Council that sections of the car park are covered in ice.
She said the elderly victim in the latest accident was left very upset.
After initially claiming Tayside Contracts were responsible for the carpark in question, Dundee City Council eventually said they would investigate the accident — after Tayside Contracts also denied responsibility.
Commenting on her role in helping the elderly victim, Pauline said: “We brought her up and she was badly shaken. We laid her down, went to the chemist and called her daughter.
“The lady is being taken to hospital.”
Pauline added: “We’ve helped dozens of elderly people who have fallen over the years.
“When we phoned the council to tell them, all they said was that she’s only got 24 hours on her car.
“They were only interested in her car and the lady is away to hospital.”
Pauline says more has to be done to protect elderly people from falling.
With temperatures dipping, the business owner is urging the council to ensure busy walkways are well gritted.
She said: “Every year we need to help people because they have fallen.
“People have broken bones and been taken to hospital in the past. It’s dangerous. It could be a child, a pregnant woman.
“Get the area gritted to stop more elderly people falling and hurting themselves.”
