Debt collectors are chasing a fine handed to a man on the day his wife passed away at Ninewells Hospital.
Donald MacLeod was ticketed by callous car park staff in the privately run car park in April of this year while tending to his wife in her last moments.
He and his son had been called to the hospital late at night, with doctors telling Mr McLeod there was little they could do to save her.
Mr MacLeod, who had been married for 37 years, contacted The Courier after a separate incident saw ambulance driver Robin Yule ticketed while using a Scottish Ambulance Service car to help a terminally ill patient.
He said despite his family being given special tickets exempting them from a fine if their time ran out, they were still handed a penalty notice.
ZZPS Limited have sent a number of threatening legal letters to Mr MacLeod as part of attempts to get him to pay the inflated fine.
The same company sent follow-up letters to Mr Yule, who felt threatened enough to pay £100.
Another firm, going by the name QDR Solicitors, has also started “hounding” Mr MacLeod for payment.
It comes as Indigo, the private firm who run the Ninewells car park, posted a 9.7% rise in gross profit of over £1 million.
The company, who charge £2.30 per visit to the hospital car park using machines which do not accept card payment or dispense change, raked in a turnover of more than £2.1 million from charging patients, visitors and staff for parking at Ninewells.
Mr MacLeod said: “I have been hounded and threatened with court action for a parking ticket I received on the day my wife died.
“We had put a ticket on the car before we came down to the ward but the doctors told us to get a bit of sleep.
“We tried, but the seats weren’t comfortable so we went to the car where we had about an hour and decided to go back to the ward.
“It was then I noticed the ticket had fallen down so I picked up what I thought was the ticket but it was the wrong one.
“The doctors then told me to get the whole family as they couldn’t save her, so surrounded by her family she slipped away peacefully.
“We said our goodbyes and left about 12.30.
“We had (been given) special tickets in case were fined and we spoke to the attendant but he was no help.
“The guy at the desk tried to help us by phoning him and we explained that we had just lost our loved one.
“My son spoke to their head office and explained everything and they said they would get back but all we’ve had is letters demanding more money.
“This is a company that clearly doesn’t understand we are human beings.”
North East Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman called on the debt collectors to cancel the ticket, given Mr MacLeod’s circumstances.
He said: “Surely given the circumstances Indigo and its agents ZZPS could have shown a bit of compassion and cancelled this parking ticket.
“Not only was it an honest mistake, but the individual involved had just suffered a tragic loss.
“These companies make millions of pounds a year, so the cost of forgiving one penalty charge would have an utterly minimal impact on them.
“NHS Tayside frontline staff do their utmost to help families in sad circumstances like these, but the parking problems at Ninewells are ignored by management. When will they be shamed into action?”
The Dundee car park is run as a separate entity, incorporated by parent company Infra Foch Topco SAS – who are registered in France.
ZZPS Ltd were contacted for comment, none was forthcoming at time of going to press.
A spokesperson for Indigo said: “All customers have a chance to appeal a parking charge notice up to 28 days after it has been issued.
“Customers are able to get in touch with us online or in writing if they wish to appeal a parking charge notice and the process is outlined on their ticket and the website.”
