A bus driver is sick to the stomach at being hit with a parking ticket while picking up his disabled passengers in Bexleyheath.

Dave Nottage says he always waits in the same spot outside the west entrance to Broadway Shopping Centre in Townley Road for the Sherard Road Day Centre group to emerge.

The centre in Eltham cares for adults with learning and physical disabilities, many of whom are in wheelchairs or have difficulty walking, meaning the ramp providing disabled access at the west entrance is particularly handy.

Dave says he has always been allowed to pick his passengers up while his Mercedes Vario coach is parked on double yellow lines.

But all that changed on the morning of February 18 when a traffic warden began writing him a ticket despite the fact he could see disabled passengers were being loaded.

Dave told News Shopper: "It’s gut wrenching. When I got the ticket I saw the £130 on it my stomach started getting the butterflies.

"I wasn’t causing a problem or blocking the road or anything.

"The warden could see there were people in wheelchairs and people having trouble walking but he just carried on being blasé.

"There was no compassion at all I’m afraid.

"I said to him ‘You’re not giving me a ticket are you?’ and he said ‘Yes. No parking’.

"That is all he would say to me."

Dave says the warden never actually issued him the ticket before he moved the bus and claims he only received notice of the fine in a letter on April 14.

Sherard Road support facilitator Wendy Milsome added: "I personally will never take a group to the Broadway again.

"It would be a shame because we have around 300 service users and that is one of the places we mainly go to do our shopping."

A Bexley Council spokeswoman said: “Our advice to any motorist who has received a penalty charge notice (PCN) and feels it was ‘incorrect’ is to appeal, including as much evidence as possible.

“In all appeals, we carefully assess the grounds of why the ticket should not have been issued along with any supporting evidence that is provided.

“Unfortunately with regard to this ticket, we have yet to receive any formal appeal or communication from the driver concerned.

“We would strongly advise the driver to contact us directly, so this can be resolved properly or alternatively, the driver still has the option to pay the PCN at a discounted rate which is standard practice.”