Parking warden slaps tickets on NHS blood donation vans

A traffic warden has caused outraged after slapping tickets on two NHS blood donation vans. 

The vehicles were hit with the fines as donors turned up to give blood during sessions at Tenterden Leisure Centre in Ashford, Kent.  

Shocked bystanders called the warden out on social media, saying he ‘could have exercised a little discretion’.

The vehicles were hit with the fines as donors turned up to give blood during sessions at Tenterden Leisure Centre in Ashford, Kent

Social media users have now called out the council, after a photo of the scene was shared online. 

One resident tweeted Ashford Borough Council with pictures of the ticketed vehicles, asking: ‘Is there really any need for this?’

He added: ‘Could your parking attendants not exercise a little discretion here?’

Tenterden town councillor Sue Ferguson told Kent Online: ‘Something has obviously gone wrong as I haven’t seen the vans ticketed before and the mammography van also parks here without a problem, but you would think there would be some leniency.’

An Ashford Borough Council (ABC) spokesman initially defended the warden, insisting rules had to be ‘consistent’.

But a council spokesperson said today: ‘The ticket was issued by mistake and should not have been. It has now been rescinded. 

‘There are arrangements in place to provide parking in such situations.’  

Social media users have now called out the council, after a photo of the scene was shared online

Social media users have now called out the council, after a photo of the scene was shared online

One resident tweeted Ashford Borough Council with pictures of the ticketed vehicles, asking: 'Is there really any need for this?'

One resident tweeted Ashford Borough Council with pictures of the ticketed vehicles, asking: ‘Is there really any need for this?’

Mark Rowland, area manager of Kent and East Sussex, NHS Blood and Transplant said that the service had a ‘long standing’ parking agreement with ABC.

He added: ‘Two of our blood donation vans were issued with parking tickets during a regular session at Tenterden Leisure Centre. 

‘Our vehicles had parked in bays we regularly use for these sessions, based on a long standing local agreement with the council.

‘We are speaking to Ashford Council again to discuss the local parking arrangements.

‘Blood donation relies on the generosity of donors and we look forward to seeing our donors again.’



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