MLA fights parking fine for ‘Samaritan’

Roy Beggs Jnr said the unnamed man was fined for failing to pay and display at Riverdale car park after going to the assistance of an elderly gentleman, who had collapsed and sustained an injury on the footpath.

Mr Beggs asked Northern Division manager Deirdre Mackle to intervene, saying: “From the information I have received, it is pretty clear that a good Samaritan has been unfairly penalised for intervening to help an elderly man who had fallen. The appeals system is meant to be designed to provide a fail safe for people who have failed to display a valid parking ticket for a valid reason. Surely this was a very valid reason, and surely common sense should prevail.”

The Ulster Unionist MLA added: “This incident has given out a very negative impression of Roads Service. This is very unfair to the dedicated Roads Service staff, who in my experience, deal with roads issues in a very caring manner on a daily basis.”

The Larne Times understands that Ms Mackle has referred the matter to the DoE’s parking enforcement processing unit.