A dad has slammed a parking firm's decision to fine his wife £100 after she failed to park correctly within the marking of the space.
Christopher Moore, 36, said his wife Sarah had pulled into the car park at Stretford Mall after their daughter started suffering a panic attack, due to the extreme heat on Thursday (11 August).
He said his wife ran into a shop to get her daughter a bottle of water, but when she arrived back at her car several minutes later she noticed she'd received a parking ticket.
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The car park is free of charge for up to three hours but the ticket, issued by UK Parking Control LTD, stated she'd been fined because she was 'not parked correctly within the marking, bay or space.'
After being directly contacted by the M.E.N, Stretford Mall recommended the parking fine company cancel the fine, meaning the family will no longer have to pay. But given the cost of living crisis, Christopher has questioned whether a £100 fine for parking outside of the markings is reasonable.
The dad from Swinton said: "My wife was driving with our nine-year-old daughter and she started having a panic attack in the back of the car because it was so hot. My wife pulled into a space in the car park and ran into a shop to get a drink. She came back within five to ten minutes and there was a parking ticket.
"She knew she wasn't parked perfectly and doesn't dispute that - she just pulled into the first bay she saw. When she rang me she was really upset and there was nobody in the car park to explain the situation to."
Christopher said his wife appealed the fine immediately, but due to the fact it's not possible to speak to anyone over the phone, he also decided to send the firm a written letter.
The parking firm have since written to Christopher informing him that they would be retracting the fine, after 'our client requested that we cancel the parking charge.'
"We understand your frustration and appreciate the inconvenience this has caused you. It is not our intention to cause undue worry and frustration when enforcing our clients' terms and conditions of parking," they wrote.
"We have investigated your appeal based on the information submitted, and we have also been in contact with our client for further clarification. Whilst our client is in agreement that the parking charge was correctly issued and that we were following the guidelines and enforcement controls agreed with our client, they have requested that we cancel the parking charge.
"At all times UKPC strive to deliver a high quality service that enhances the existing quality standards insisted upon by our client. Please therefore take this letter as confirmation that your parking charge has now been cancelled and the matter concluded."
Although relieved he won't have to pay the £100 fine, Christopher expressed concerns about the cost of the ticket, which only would have been reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
"I have had parking tickets in the past for £25 or £30 which I've just paid without questioning but £100 seems ludicrous in normal circumstances not to mention at the moment with the cost of living.
"Petrol is so expensive and energy bills are going up to £5,000 for the year. It just seems really aggressive. I'm quite big on principle and I won't go back to Stretford Mall now."
Under new a Parking Code of Practice introduced by the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities in February, the maximum fine for most cases in England was due to be reduced from £100 to £50.
Private car parks will also have to display prices more clearly, use a fairer appeal system and give drivers a 10-minute grace period for lateness, according to the new rules.
The maximum charge will be reduced to £50 in most cases, or £70 for more serious breaches. Private firms who breach the new code could also be banned from collecting fines in future, according to PA.
A spokesperson from Bruntwood, who run Stretford Mall, said: "As the car in question was parked outside the lines, a ticket was issued by the company who manage the car park. However, sometimes there are extenuating circumstances in these incidents and from what we know, it sounds like this is one of those cases. Based on this, we are happy to recommend that the fine be revoked."
UK Parking Control LTD have been approached by the M.E.N for comment.
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