An Uber driver fined £100 after parking at B&Q for just 21 minutes. Michael Guy said he pulled over in the car park of the DIY superstore in Liverpool between 6.37am to 6.58am on Monday, February 20.
The 31-year-old said it's 'natural instinct' to go in a car park as he 'doesn't want to park on a dark road' with his engine running, the Liverpool Echo reports. The dad said the fine from Smart Parking did not arrive at the address the car is registered at until Monday, March 27. Michael added he did not personally receive the letter until Wednesday, March 29.
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In the letter the date of issue was Wednesday, March 8 and Michael claims this has meant he was not given the chance to pay the discount price of £60, as it went over the 14-day threshold. He said: "It doesn't give a postcode, it doesn't give an address, it just gives the name of the car park. So when you Google it, it comes up as the new Edge Lane Shopping Park.
"My guess is, as I tend to go to the B&Q in the corner, so that must be classed as Edge Lane Shopping Park car park too. I have basically parked in a B&Q before 7am and have tried to class it as overnight parking.
"They have been so slow to process, it is £100 now, when I have never even had the opportunity to pay the £60 and even if a person wants to fight there is no one to talk to."
Michael, who has a seven-month-old baby said the fine has come at a difficult time with bills and the cost of living. He added: "Your heart just sinks and I don't have £100. I have a seven-month-old baby and for £100 fine to just drop like that on the top of your head is just not nice. It is another five hours work and you can't work every hour of the day."
A spokesperson for Smart Parking said Michael received the fine as there is no overnight parking between 8pm and 7am, Monday to Sunday. After the Echo contacted the firm, it said it has reinstated the discount period to April 14 to allow an appeal at the discounted rate.
Michael also said he believes the signs are not clear enough to read, especially at night. He said: "The signs are dotted around the car park, which you can't see at night time, and in this case it was the early hours of the morning.
"If you spoke to a graphic design specialist or someone who works in advertisement, you have the most eye-catching colours to alert people [...] signs which are white and red, black and yellow [mean] hazardous and we have certain symbols and certain colours.
"These do the opposite of many adverstisement rules but they still pass the bylaws and get hundreds of people in the same situation as me and they get £60 to £100 in money."
A spokesperson for Smart Parking said the signage is governed and it is subject to scrutiny, via audit, at regular intervals.
In a statement the parking company said: “The car park at Liverpool Shopping Park (Car Park 2), has clear signage throughout advising motorists on how to use the car park. This signage is approved by the British Parking Association and includes highly-prominent guidance on how there is no overnight parking between 8pm and 7am, Monday to Sunday.
“The motorist correctly received a parking charge notice for parking between these hours on February 20. Smart Parking operates an audited appeals process which we would encourage motorists to use if they have mitigating circumstances for breaking the rules of the car park.
“In this case we have not received an appeal from the motorist however we have reinstated the discount period to April 14 to allow an appeal at the discounted rate.”
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