READERS may remember the articles in the Advertiser early in the year concerning parking on the Bromsgrove retail park, off Birmingham Road opposite the Victoria Ground, and the one titled major u-turn after parking fines spark outrage.

Sainsbury’s, the owner of the site, stepped in following complaints and Ben Littman, regional development manager, intervened and instructed UKPC to ease the management to ensure the free car park is a benefit to residents and local businesses and imposed fines were refunded.

I am a regular user of this car park – or was – to visit both the Co-operative supermarket and other local shopsbusinesses, but in late October I received in the post a parking charge notice from UKPC – the DVLA had apparently providedthemwithmypersonal details – requesting £100 for not parking in conformance with their onsite noticesandrelevanttermsandconditions on September 21 – ie all vehicles must be parked only within marked bays.

The parking bay in question is near the Knight’s Pharmacy exit adjacent to the local electricity substation with a brick built cubicle next to it and is completely edged by kerbstones. Assuming that a genuine mistake had been made I appealed toUKPCwith a photograph of the parking bay for reference.

This was subsequently rejected on the original grounds with an additional definition that the bay markings are defined by white lines, which I assume now means that any kerb stones used on the site do not form part of a parking bay?

So what further action have I taken?

Due to the tone of their letter clearly indicating that I could not win and threats of increasing the fine if I went to Parking on Private Land Appeals and lost, and that ultimate court action would be taken if I did not pay the fine, I made the decision that it was not worth my time and effort to challenge the impossible.

So I have paid a £60 reduced fine.

This letter is to warn any unsuspecting Bromsgrove motorists, especially a young family or others with limited finances, that should they use the same parking bay they may be faced with the dilemma that I have.

I am sure that Sainsbury’s did not envisage this additional tactic being employed when they lifted the previously imposed penalty restrictions to Bromsgrove motorists/shoppers and I will be writing toMrLittman providing the details just for his information and from a public relations perspective.

Keith Hodson, Humphrey Avenue, Charford