Kidney transplant patient's car given ten parking tickets at hospital while she has emergency operation

Traffic wardens have been blasted after plastering a kidney transplant patient’s windscreen with parking tickets. The woman’s car was parked in a hospital disabled bay with her blue badge displayed on the dashboard. A note was also visible saying she was a patient at the transplant unit.

She had gone in for treatment after her kidney swap but was kept in for emergency surgery and was unable to move her car from the short-stay bay. Wardens then began to issue 10 notices – each with a £30 fine – between May 16 and last weekend. A visitor at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff said: “Have they considered the effect this is likely to have on someone who has just had a transplant?”



Andrew Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Some compassion would not have gone amiss. The issuing of 10 tickets is a little over-zealous.” The woman patient, who has not been named, was still recovering in hospital yesterday.

Ruth Walker, of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: “We are speaking with everyone involved to try to resolve the matter amicably” Private firm Vinci Park UK said: “Our terms and conditions are clearly explained at ticketing machines. We can confirm the parking charge notices have been removed and we’re working to resolve this issue.”