Disabled pensioner, 76, slapped with £70 fines for parking outside her own home

A 76-year-old disabled woman, Maria Rodriquez, has expressed her dread of parking outside her own home due to the constant £70 parking fines she receives. She alleges that her condition forces her to park on the street outside her house, where there is a set of double yellow lines.

Maria claims that for five years, she has been requesting Sefton Council to convert the double yellow lines outside her residence into a disabled parking bay, but to no avail. Meanwhile, the Liverpool resident continues to accumulate yellow parking fines.

Sefton Council has justified the fines issued to Ms Rodriguez, asserting they comply with national enforcement guidelines regarding parking regulations. However, Maria contends that these rules are enforced too rigidly and do not take into account her unique circumstances.

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According to the Liverpool Echo, the penalty charge notices given to Maria result from incorrect display of her blue badge and time card. Maria, who speaks English as a second language, insists she was directed to place the blue badge on the side.

When questioned if there could have been misunderstandings due to language barriers, Maria agreed but maintained that she had communicated her situation and circumstances to officials.

A Blue Badge, a parking permit that allows individuals with disabilities to park closer to their destination than standard parking spaces, is something Maria relies on daily as she navigates her weekly tasks. However, the problem arises when she returns home and struggles to find a parking spot.

She revealed that due to the absence of a disabled parking bay, she's often compelled to park away from her house. Maria expressed her frustration, saying: 'I'm just tired of all this because I keep getting £70 fines for parking outside my own house. How can this be?

"I have lived here for 23 years and I remember the day that this [parking situation] changed. A machine came to do the yellow lines just on the corner - nowhere else. I had been asking for the disabled bay for many years but they didn't do that."

Maria, who is registered as disabled and has mobility issues affecting her independence and movement, relies heavily on her car and needs parking near her front door. Without resident or disabled bay parking, Maria said her life has turned into a daily struggle.

Maria added: "There are people that don't understand that [the need for appropriate parking for drivers with disabilities]. If people had someone in their family, they would probably understand and they could make their voice heard louder than mine because I live alone and it's difficult to get people to listen.

When asked if she feels the council has made an effort to comprehend her need for accessible parking and to clarify display guidance, Maria responded: "Well, the question is very interesting. I contacted the council to explain, but all they say is that this [fine] needs to be paid."

A spokesperson for Sefton Council highlighted the strict regulations surrounding Blue Badge use, saying: "There are a number of nationally set rules and responsibilities that must be adhered to when using a Blue Badge.

"One of those rules states that all Blue Badge holders must ensure their badges or time clocks are displayed correctly and made visible in the vehicle they are using, regardless of where they park.

"If this is not done so then a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) may be issued. "