FOLLOWING our report on the over-zealous parking attendant ticketing disabled blue badge holders on the front page of our last issue of The Gazette, the Council has admitted that their signs were at fault.

Peter Hayward, Isle of Wight Council Head of Highways and Transport, said: “Following an inspection of our long stay car park in Quay Road Ryde it appears that the signage is not in line with our other long stay car park signage. Some information which reminds disabled badge holders to park within designated bays if the disabled bays are occupied is not reproduced on these signs. This does not make the restrictions void although may have caused some confusion to those unfamiliar with disabled parking regulations. We are arranging for this information to be added to the signs to remove that risk. However if any disabled badge holder feels that they have been unfairly issued with a Penalty Charge Notice for parking outside of a bay in this car park and appeals against that, then their case will be considered sympathetically.”

We would strongly advise the car owners who were ticketed on Ryde seafront that day to begin the appeal process by writing to the Council as soon as possible.