Undertaker issued fine for crossing bus lane to drop family outside city centre pub

An undertaker has been fined for crossing a bus lane while dropping a grieving family outside a wake at a city centre pub in the pouring rain.

Glasgow City Council hit the funeral company with the fixed penalty notice after they crossed a bus lane to reach the Grant Arms pub after the funeral service. The decision was made by the undertaker so the grieving family would not have to walk through the rain.

East Kilbride based Hester and Lalli Independent Funeral Care, made an appeal to the local authority earlier this month following the offence”which took place on October 11 of this year.

Managing director Dee Lalli explained the limousine was taking a bereaved family to the Argyle Street venue for the wake, but ended up driving through the bus lane in order to drop the family off in front of the venue as it was ‘lashing’ down with rain.

And now she is questioning the local authority on its decision and argues it is their purpose to deliver a good service and look after distressed families - whatever it takes. She believes that the council should change their rules to allow funeral cars to use bus lanes and appealed the decision to fine the company, but it was rejected.

Speaking about the situation, Dee Lalli, said: “On the day in question, it was pelting with rain and it is our duty to make sure that this family who are bereaved and in mourning, were not abandoned at a corner somewhere to go and walk to the wake.

“If Glasgow City Council wants to fine us that’s fine, but I wish they would just turn round and say okay, in light of this, the family should really be dropped off at the door.

“If you’ve just come away from a cremation service and you’re upset, the emotions are running high and then your funeral director drops you off at a corner, when it’s pouring with rain, how would you feel?

“Maybe if the sun had been shining and you had to walk to the door, you might not have felt so bad but the weather can reflect your mood, it makes you feel worse.

“We always have umbrellas in the car so we would chaperone them to the door if it’s raining. It’s just a nice thing to do, you are looking after this family, these individuals, not everyone is travelling to the wake in a family car.

“This is the immediate family who are the closest to this person who has just died. You have to make them feel that you aren’t just abandoning them. We are with them until we walk them to the door and that is the end of our service for the day.

“GCC has said they will not waive this. They haven’t even sent a letter saying they understand. I found it so cold and raw.”

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council defended the fixed penalty notice, he said: “The bus gate at Union St has been in operation for over three years and allows access for buses, taxis, private hire cars, bikes and goods vehicles.

“As the driver appears to have ignored the road restrictions in this case, it is appropriate to apply the penalty charge notice.”