Furious motorists hit with parking tickets claim signs are 'misleading' (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)
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Furious motorists hit with parking tickets claim signs are 'misleading'
1:10pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News
New signs: UK Parking Control signs have been erected around the car park, where motorists have received tickets for £100. Ref:s
FURIOUS motorists hit with fines after parking on a Bromsgrove car park claim they were misled by new signs.
The Advertiser has been inundated with calls from residents who received a parking charge ticket for £100 after parking on the Bromsgrove Retail Park car park, off Birmingham Road opposite the Victoria Ground.
New signs erected say “two hour maximum stay” and advise car park users to view other signs, which list the conditions.
It is only on the second signs, in smaller print, where people are warned they were liable to receive a charge if they leave the car park on foot.
Angry motorists told the Advertiser they had been using the car park for years to pop into nearby Davenal House Surgery and Knights Pharmacy and after never receiving a ticket they thought nothing had changed - only to find they had been given a ticket.
Bromsgrove resident Colin Hunt was one of those hit with a £100 ticket - reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days of it being issued.
“I have been parking there for years and years,” Mr Hunt said.
“You see the sign and you think you have a two hours stay.
“But people, picking up prescriptions, return to their cars with these tickets on them.”
Former town councillor Bill Newnes was another to receive a ticket.
He said he would not paying it and would be appealing - encouraging others to do the same.
The tickets were issued by attendants working on behalf of private firm UK Parking Control (UKPC), the site operators.
One resident, who asked not to be named, alleged UKPC’s attendants were purposely hiding, ready to jump out and issue a ticket as soon as a motorist left the site.
The town resident added they wanted to warn others, so they would not get caught out.
The Advertiser contacted UKPC for a comment, but the company failed to respond before the paper went to press.
• A new independent appeals service, Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), launched last October.
A motorist who wants to appeal against an unfair ticket can call POPLA on 0845 207 7700, or visit popla.org.uk.
