A driver has been slapped with £11,000 worth of fines because the internet connection inside the car park was not quick enough for her to purchase a ticket in a bizarre parking rule.
One motorist, Hannah Robinson, said she was one of a handful of drivers to be slapped with enormous charges for breaking a little-known payment rule.
At the Feethams Leisure car park in Darlington, parking tickets must be purchased within five minutes of arriving, prompting concerns from drivers and the local MP.
Lola McEvoy, Labour MP for Darlington, has called for an urgent meeting with the car park operator over the issue which can see drivers quickly rack up fines.
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Many drivers have reported being fined when parking at Feethams Leisure car park
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The parking firm, Excel Parking Services, said the five-minute rule was introduced to crack down on motorists stopping in the car park to pick people up from cinemas and hotels nearby.
According to the BBC, Ms Robinson has received parking charge notices totalling almost £11,000 since 2021 as she uses the car park when working nearby.
She explained that she has paid for a ticket every time, but cannot always pay within the allotted five-minute window because of poor internet connection inside the car park, meaning the transaction has been delayed.
Robinson added: “It’s ridiculous. I paid for it. I’ve been trying for the full five minutes. They just don’t care.
“I’ve done absolutely everything I can to get in touch with them. All this just to park my car to come to work.”
The MP for Darlington said the fines were “absolutely appalling” and that something needed to be done urgently to ensure drivers are not unfairly punished even when they pay for their parking.
A spokesperson for Excel Parking Services told BBC: “Unfortunately a large percentage of motorists do not pay. They simply sit in their vehicles for a prolonged period of time waiting to pick people up from the hotel, cinema, and restaurants.
“That causes a loss of revenue and maintenance problems, and that’s why the five-minute time period has been introduced.”
A handful of councils and local authorities across the UK already have a 10-minute mandatory grace period in dedicated parking bays, including Westminster.
If a vehicle is parked in a designated parking bay, they have a 10-minute grace period before a ticket is issued and they are parked illegally.
The British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) plan to launch the new Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice later this year.
This will aim to protect motorists with the launch of a mandated 10-minute grace period for all drivers to leave the car park so they do not get slapped with a fine.
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Drivers will be granted a 10-minute grace period at private car parks from October
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Other suggestions include an Appeals Charter, giving drivers clear guidance on how to appeal against a parking charge, as well as requiring clear signage to be the default to help motorists navigate.
Private car park operators will need to implement the new single Code by October 1, 2024, while all existing sites will need to be updated by December 2026.
Will Hurley, IPC Chief Executive Officer said: “This new Code will create positive change across the UK, enhancing the protection of the most vulnerable in society, whilst creating consistency and clarity for motorists and continuing to elevate standards across the sector.”
