'Blue meanies' are killing trade in Hamilton, says businessman

Oct 7 2010 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A WELL-KNOWN Hamilton businessman this week claimed an over-zealous ‘blue meanie’ is killing trade outside his shop.

Furious Stephen Dempsey, owner of Tabac for the past 25 years, hit out after a supplier was given a £40 parking fine while making a delivery outside his newsagents and fast food takeaway.

Driver Stephen Hope (38), of Kerr’s Bakers in Motherwell, parked his van in a bay with a single yellow line outside the shop next to Hamilton Central Railway Station on Monday, September 2-.

He returned less than five minutes later to find he had been issued with a parking ticket.

Father-of-one Stephen Dempsey (42) fears traffic wardens patrolling outside his business will drive his customers away, putting 15 people’s jobs at the shop at risk. He said: “A new parking warden said he will book people who park outside my shop.

“If customers order food they are only in and out of their car within five minutes.

“I am just looking for common sense from the traffic wardens.

“My supplier said he might not come back as he can’t afford to pay a parking fine every time he makes a delivery to my shop.

“If I have no deliveries I can’t offer a service to the public.

“It’s hard enough to get customers and now a traffic warden is driving them away.”

Mr Hope has vowed to appeal against the parking fine.

“The ticket says I was parked in a taxi rank but I wasn’t,” he added.

“Where else as am I supposed to park?

“It’s just a money making scam, otherwise the traffic warden who saw me going into the shop would have asked me not to park where I was”.

A taxi driver added: “My taxi was booked in Kemp Street for sitting in a taxi rank, and I am appealing against that.”

A council spokesman said: “There is a length of road between the taxi rank and the mini-roundabout that has been left clear of restrictions to allow service to the shop.

“The council have to balance the needs of all road users, including taxi drivers.

“If the delivery vehicle was parked in the taxi rank then a penalty charge notice would be issued.

“Should the driver of the vehicle wish to appeal the issue of the penalty charge, they should do so in writing to the Parking Unit, at PO Box ML3 0BX, Hamilton.”