Ninewells Hospital’s under-fire car park boss has shown a bit of heart and withdrawn a pensioner’s parking charge notice.
Gordon Brown, who works for private firm Vinci Park which runs the hospital’s car parks, returned from honeymoon earlier this week to read the tale of woe from William McMichael.
The 70-year-old from Arbroath had threatened to go to court rather than pay up after being hit with a parking notice while visiting his wife, who is battling cancer and had been admitted to the Princess Alexandra Cancer Centre at Ninewells.
Mr McMichael had purchased a parking ticket but it fell off the windscreen and was lying on the passenger seat when the wardens checked his car.
He was told the parking charge was imposed for failing to display the ticket, irrespective of whether a valid voucher was purchased.
Mr McMichael appealed the notice but received a letter saying the charge would stand.
He then contacted The Courier, explaining his predicament by which time Mr Brown had returned from his honeymoon and agreed to look at the evidence and review the decision taken by a colleague in his absence.
On Friday a delighted Mr McMichael said he had just received a letter from Mr Brown withdrawing the request for payment of the £20 charge imposed for a breach of the parking rules.
He quoted Mr Brown as stating, “This incident has been brought to my attention and I have looked into the matter. Please forgive me for not contacting you earlier as I was away on annual leave.
“After reflecting over the incident, I can appreciate your circumstances. As a gesture of goodwill and support I have cancelled the notice.”
The car park boss said he hoped that Mr McMichael would now be able to concentrate on “the more important matter” of his wife’s health.
“At the end of the day I don’t have to pay and I don’t have to go to a solicitor and fight this,” said Mr McMichael. “It’s all thanks to The Courier.”