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Wrexham couple fined by private car parking firm over toilet stop

Published date: 23 August 2011 |
Published by: Thomas Morton

 

A PENSIONER given a £90 parking fine for stopping to use the toilet is now being threatened with court action despite paying up.

Patricia Hughes, of Ruabon, was upset to discover she had been fined after parking up on Mount Street car park, Wrexham, for just 15 minutes.

Mrs Hughes, 69, had intended to visit Colour Supplies, but felt unwell and due to a medical condition had to use Debenhams toilet facilities in Eagles Meadow.

After returning to her car 15 minutes later she decided to return home, but was shocked to discover she had been fined by UK Parking Control (UKPC) for walking away and not using the shops the car park is meant for.

Mrs Hughes and her husband Ray appealed against the fine, which was reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days, but were told it would only be considered if receipts were produced proving Mrs Hughes had visited shops covered by the car park.

Mr Hughes promptly sent a cheque for £50 and despite the cheque being cashed the couple are still receiving letters demanding payment.

The couple have received several letters from the company threatening court action as well as a letter from a debt recovery company.

Mr Hughes said the only way such tactics would stop is if more people came forward and complained.

“I want to know how many people have been affected,” he added.

“Traders may even be losing a huge amount of business because people will not go there again.”

Mr Hughes is now looking at taking his case to a traffic penalties tribunal.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, who has represented constituents stung with parking fines on Mount Street in the past, is furious.

He said: “I think it’s a disgrace that they treat people this way and they show no consideration for people with health issues.

Susan Elan Jones, MP for Clwyd South, is also lending her support to the Hughes’ case. She said: “It is ridiculous to fine an individual £90 for a five minute stop and it is clear that there were special circumstances involved with this case.

“The fact that UKPC continues to ignore Mr Hughes’ appeals and absolutely refuses to discuss the matter with him is disappointing and unfair.

“The companies’ unresponsive attitude is extremely unsatisfactory and I am working with Mr Hughes to try and assist as much as I can.”

Officers at Wrexham Trading Standards advised members of the public to always read the terms and conditions on car park signs.

UKPC said it was looking into the circumstances.

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  1. Posted by: mfm103.4 at 09:51 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Private car park ticket - dont pay! and its not a FINE, private companies cannot fine anyone. Ive had several tickets which ive ignored , after a few threatning letters they give up

  2. Posted by: boycs at 10:03 on 23 August 2011 Report

    As with mfm above, they can't do anything beyond send letters. I always go to eagles meadow from the comet/colour supplies car park

  3. Posted by: bornacorn at 10:14 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Usually I respond by acting as if I have won the money from them and ask when it will be with me. Purposefully act dumb in all the responses and eventually they give up, and it also makes for an amusing read.

  4. Posted by: a cahill at 10:34 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Strange though that the general public have to use shop toilets in an emergency...would it have something to do with the lack of public toilets in our hoped for soon to be City ?

  5. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 11:24 on 23 August 2011 Report

    So if you go into shops looking for an item... but they dont have it... you get a fine?.... this company are behaving like NAZI's... I refuse to use Eagles meadow or any shopping outlet that use UKPC... its there loss.

  6. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 11:34 on 23 August 2011 Report

    It also suggests that the use of cctv cameras are being used to deliberatly follow parkers who have purchased parking tickerts... if they dont buy they must pay a fine?... I say we boycotte eagles meadow and UKPC, what it is doing is illegal surely?... cont

  7. Posted by: InMyOpinion at 11:39 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Wrexham trading standards told me" we have no control over private car parks or the companies that run them, if you dont like the way they operate , shop elsewhere ".

  8. Posted by: mypoint at 11:39 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Seems like a sad lack of compassion

  9. Posted by: mark_buckley at 13:46 on 23 August 2011 Report

    As the above have stated this is a big problem with private car parks - there's loads of info on the net, especially here - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1331507 My wife received a parking ticket in wrexham central car park earlier this year. And then after reading the above forums we ignored the 2 fines and a "fake" solicitors letter and they have since given up and I still have my £70 thankyou very much.

  10. Posted by: st_elswhere at 14:31 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Freeloaders. not only have they parked in someone else's car park but they have used facilities in another shop in which they have bought nothing. They should be grateful to only have a £50 fine. JOKING!!! Seriously in these cases you should let them try and take you to court. If you have paid it will cost them a fortune and the more cases that waste the courts time the more likely legislation will follow.

  11. Posted by: mark_buckley at 14:51 on 23 August 2011 Report

    As the above have stated this is a big problem with private car parks - there's loads of info on the net, especially here - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1331507 My wife received a parking ticket in wrexham central car park earlier this year. And then after reading the above forums we ignored the 2 fines and a "fake" solicitors letter and they have since given up and I still have my £70 thankyou very much.

  12. Posted by: lindopski at 16:44 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Chester and Wrexham have both killed themselves off, I dont go to either at all now if I can help it. I shop online for larger items, I buy foodstuffs and other goods closer to home and sometimes go to broughton retail or cheshire oaks. As towns and cities become more consumer unfriendly the faster they will die off. The internet made the high street almost obsolete. Double yellows and rip off car parks finished the job.

  13. Posted by: kevinweston at 18:20 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Dont pay and shop elsewhere. As a result of the above incidents Wrexham and Mold are falling off the shoppers map.

  14. Posted by: WelshWitch at 21:54 on 23 August 2011 Report

    Surely if you were that desperate you would have gone to Tesco, or even the Eagles Meadow car park? But anyway, I have had several tickets at Morrisons in Chester for out staying my welcome, if you ignore them they go away!!

  15. Posted by: wxm73 at 00:30 on 27 August 2011 Report

    This car park management company appears to be strict about who uses this space- but not in the evening. This car park is the new gathering point for the boy racers, who are allowed to do burnouts, drag races etc, totally unrestricted. In fact, the emergency services put on a special educational event for them a couple of months back. Maybe this company needs to decide whether it is managing the land full-time, or just in the daytime when it is financially beneficial to them.

  16. Posted by: Rooster at 09:06 on 27 August 2011 Report

    I received a charge for leaving site. However I did not leave the site.Attempts to appeal have proved futile. I have asked for evidence that I left site, but ukpc have ignored this. I believe their threatening letters amount to harassment or demanding money with menaces and can't understand how ukpc can be allowed to demand Money from people without any evidence of the charge being valid. Boycott the stores there until they stop ripping us off

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