Battle lost over parking ticket issued in English

A man who refused to pay a parking ticket because it was issued in English has lost his case against a parking company.

Toni Schiavone appeared in court for a fourth time after declining to pay a parking charge notice by private company One Parking Solution (OPS).

Mr Schiavone said it would have cost about £60 to get the notice translated, while the parking company paid more than £14,000 in legal costs to bring the case to court over three years.

He was refused the right to appeal and ordered to pay just under £267, including interest and costs, but said he would not make any payments despite the court’s order.

After a bilingual hearing in Aberystwyth Justice Centre, District Judge Lowri Williams said Mr Schiavone had presented an honest and moral case, and agreed it would have been easier if OPS had translated the notice at the start.

Mr Schiavone said he would have paid if he had received it either in Welsh or bilingually - but the judge added that there was no legal requirement for the company to issue the notice in Welsh, as the legislation on the Welsh language does not apply to private companies.

Mr Schiavone, who is a member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, the Welsh Language Society, said he was disappointed but not surprised.

“The issue was I wanted to receive a service through the medium of Welsh, I wanted correspondence sent to me in Welsh. I think I should have had that," he said.

"Unfortunately, more and more car parks and other services are being transferred to private hands and many of them show little respect for the Welsh language and for the rights of us as Welsh language speakers.

“The legislation is too weak. Why should I have to come to court to justify my right to receive a service in the medium of Welsh in Wales?

"Particularly in this part of Wales where most people speak Welsh.

"We need to have legislation which covers the private sector, as well as the public sector.”