Drivers in Caernarfon have been left furious after receiving fines for parking at the Slate Quay car park, despite having paid for their tickets.
The issue comes as a holidaymaker from Wigan was slapped with a £100 penalty charge notice after using the car park in September.
The driver had paid for two hours of parking but found himself in hot water when he failed to enter his vehicle’s registration number into the pay and display machine.
The incident has sparked concerns about the car park’s operation and its potential impact on tourism in the historic Welsh town.
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Driver took the parking company to appeals court
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The driver detailed to The Chronicle: “I dispute the fact that I haven’t paid, like they are saying, and I still have the ticket.
“I’m annoyed that the machine was quite happy to take payment without the need to enter a registration number.”
After returning home, he discovered the PCN demanding £100 for allegedly parking without payment.
He appealed the fine, but his appeal was rejected. He has since taken his case to POPLA, an independent appeals service for PCNs issued on private land. “I think this will put visitors off from visiting one of Wales’ most visited attractions, if this situation is not rectified,” he warned.
Initial Parking, the company operating the car park, defended its actions. They stated that the driver’s appeal was declined because he “did not enter the full, correct, vehicle registration”.
But the company did offer a reduced PCN fee of £20 to close the case. Initial Parking emphasised that “it is the responsibility of the motorist to ensure they make payment for the full and correct vehicle registration mark when using the car park”.
However, the incident has raised concerns about the wider implications for tourism in Caernarfon.
The driver resorted to writing to the Caernarfon Harbour Trust, the owners of the land. He has also escalated his appeal to POPLA, demonstrating the seriousness of the issue.
He added: “I have looked at various forums since and I have found that we’re not the first to be victims of this. It seems to happen on a weekly basis. It’s very misleading.”
This pattern of complaints has also indicated a potential need for clearer signage or improved payment systems at the car park to prevent future misunderstandings and maintain Caernarfon’s appeal as a tourist destination.
In response to the incident drivers have shared their views on what they deem to be “unfair car parking bandits” with many coming forward with similar issues.
Someone posted on social media: “This happened to us last month when we went sightseeing/took a steam train from Caernarfon. The machine could only accept payments for a maximum of two hours, and by the time we returned, the option to book for the last hours was no longer available as the time had passed.”
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Drivers accuse parking company of highway robbery
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The person added: “We received a fine of £100, and although we sent in the parking ticket, they refused to accept it. We ended up paying the fine!”
Another person detailed how they were in a similar situation having received two notices saying, “they will take me to court”.
But the person explained: “I have told the parking company I will not pay for something I do not owe as I believe there is something wrong with their machine / computer. This is almost highway robbery and will deter visitors to Caernarfon. Something needs to be done about this car park. Don’t pay.”
