Parking fine? It’s a joke says Carlisle pensioner
Last updated at 12:13, Tuesday, 06 November 2012
A pensioner has received a £100 fine – because he visited a Carlisle car park twice in the same day.
Tommy Salkeld, 66, visited the Asda store on St Nicholas Gate Retail Park twice on October 13.
The rules state that cars are only allowed to park at the complex – which is home to Burger King, Halfords, Asda and Toys ‘R’ Us – for two hours.
They say that Mr Salkeld stayed for seven hours and 16 minutes.
Mr Salkeld, of Chapel Close, Warwick Bridge, near Carlisle, said: “I first went at about 10.40am and I was in the car park for about 20 to 40 minutes.
“I went home and my car was parked outside my house for most of the day until I returned to Asda later on to get some shopping.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got the fine through the post. It’s a joke.”
Mr Salkeld, who drives a Nissan Micra Acenta, has written to the car park regulator ParkingEye.
He said: “I entered at 10.40am at the entrance beside Burger King and left within 40 minutes at the south exit of the car park besides Halfords. I asked the company to check their camera at that exit.
“When I left at 5.56pm I entered via London Road and exited onto Currock Road.
“Between these times my car was parked outside my home.”
The firm wrote back to Mr Salkeld after his correspondence and said: “You say that you were not on site for the stated period.
“After reviewing your case, there is no evidence to substantiate your claim therefore the parking charge still stands.
“In order for ParkingEye to cancel this charge, we will need valid evidence indicating that you did not break the terms and conditions stipulated on the signage.”
Mr Salkeld had until today to pay a reduced £60 fine, otherwise he must cough up the full £100 amount.
He said: “I’m not paying it. If they checked their cameras properly they would see that I wasn’t there all day.”
A spokesman for ParkingEye said: “Mr Salkeld says he visited the car park at St Nicholas Gate on two separate occasions on the same day to go shopping.
“He has appealed his charge, and we are still waiting for him to send us evidence of his shopping. When he does this, we hope to resolve the matter as we always support genuine shoppers.”
Last week Canon Maurice Bartlett accused the company of “extracting money by false pretences”.
He says he was also unfairly penalised for driving through St Nicholas Gate retail car park, in Carlisle.
The 79-year-old drove through the car park on the way to pick up friends.
He then drove back through St Nicholas Gate on his way home.
Despite outlining his day to ParkingEye, his appeal was rejected.
First published at 12:04, Tuesday, 06 November 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
i drove to hospital with what i know now was a broken foot. i was in agony. it was 06.00 in the morning and i got my dad to get dropped off to pick me and my car up at 08.45. when i got to the hospital i put six pound coins in the machine as i knew i would be a while. i recieved a letter from parkingeye today saying i over stayed the allowed 2 free hours and owed £70 reduced to £40. are they for real i put six pound in the machine. after reading this and when my foot is better ide loke to go to chorley and kick their butt. im paying nothing
View all 90 comments on this article
Have your say
I am heartened to see I am not alone. I recently went to the Llyn Peninsula with the wife, and duly received a fine for being a total of 6 minutes over. The photo shows the car going into the car park. So give me a minute to park (in an empty car park), another one to get the right change and the ticket...then a minute to come out of the park, so really £80 for three minutes.
A big THANK YOU to everyone standing up against these threatening letters.
Posted by Russ Kendrick on 24 April 2013 at 22:03