A TAXI driver got a parking ticket slapped on his motor as he tried to be a good Samaritan to an elderly man.

Paul White, who is a licensed hackney cab driver and works throughout the Medway Towns, was given the fine when he parked on double yellow lines inside the Municipal Buildings car park in Gillingham.

He had come to the aid of a regular customer who he ferries about every week.

Mr White, of Pintail Drive, Iwade, near Sittingbourne, said: “Every week I pick up this guy who lives in Twydall and take him to the shops.

“On this occasion his gas card was not working and he didn’t really know what to do.

“As he is a tenant of Medway Council I took him to the Municipal Buildings to see if his problem could be sorted out.”

When the pair pulled up in the car, Mr White could find no parking spaces near to the entrance. He wanted to park as close to it as possible as his passenger was frail and unsteady on his feet.

Mr White felt he had no option but to park next to the entrance.

This meant pulling up on double yellow lines while the elderly man sought help from council staff.

He said: “They allowed him to call the gas company and were very helpful. The problem was sorted out, but the elderly man had to visit the shop opposite to top up his gas card again.

“I decided to do it for him as it would be quicker, that’s when the parking attendant slapped a ticket on the windscreen.”

Paul has appealed against the fine, but the council are refusing to back down.

Mr White added: “I’ve been penalised for coming to the aid of someone who needed help.”

A spokeman for Medway Council said: “The taxi was parked in an access aisle on double yellow lines and could have caused an obstruction to other vehicles leaving the car park.

“Double yellow lines are installed for safety and access reasons. The vehicle was observed for eight minutes in total, during which it did not move.

"The parking attendant spoke to the passenger after three minutes and was told only the driver was over the road. The vehicle was observed for a further five minutes and the ticket was issued.

“Mr White’s appeal was rejected because the circumstances were not considered mitigating. He can appeal further to an independent adjudicator, totally independent from the council.

“The adjudicator will make a legally binding decision about whether the ticket was issued correctly.”