County Durham pensioner slams ‘ridiculous’ parking after being hit with fine

Malcolm Appleby, 76, from Trimdon Grange, said he feels blindsided after being fined for a brief 11-minute visit to an electric vehicle charging point at a cark park in Durham- ran by Parkingeye.

He travelled to the Home Bargains site on Dragon Lane on Sunday, June 1, arriving at 5.34pm- one hour and 34 minutes after the site’s permitted parking hours had ended.

The entrance to the Durham car park ran by Parkingeye (Image: MALCOLM APPLEBY) Malcolm and his wife said they struggled to figure out the charging system as said it was all new to them.

They left 11 minutes later without managing to charge the vehicle, confused by the process.

Malcolm Appleby, 76, from Trimdon Grange (Image: MALCOLM APPLEBY) Malcolm said: “I tried to use it but with it needing an app or something I didn’t understand. 

“After 11 minutes I decided to leave and try somewhere else.”

But a week later, a parking charge notice landed on his doorstep.

The Electric Vehicle charging station showing no signs it is ‘illegal’ to use past shops opening times (Image: MALCOLM APPLEBY) Malcolm said: “It was not clear on any signs and I didn’t know with it being a Sunday it was shut earlier- there were no barriers or anything apart from small writing on the signs that you cannot read from your car. 

“It is not until I have returned since receiving the fine and read the small print on the signs that I have actually realised this.”

With no experience of appealing such charges and concerned the fine would increase to £100 if not paid within 14 days, he said he paid the reduced £60 feeling he had “no chance.”

Malcolm continued: “Surely a barrier of some sort would be advisable to bar anyone entering the car park when the store is closed.”

He described the whole experience as “ridiculous and unfair” and says the system feels set up to punish motorists, rather than help.

The signs within the car park- and the small print you have to read (Image: MALCOLM APPLEBY) Parkingeye, the private company operating the car park, issued the following full statement in response: “We provide car park management services at Home Bargains in Durham.

“The system has been put in place to ensure the facility is available for customers and to prevent long-term parking abuse.

“The car park features 28 prominent and highly visible signs throughout providing information on how to use the car park responsibly.

The charging bays in the car park (Image: MALCOLM APPLEBY) “This includes guidance on how all Home Bargains customers using the car park have a three hour maximum stay period between 8am and 10pm, Monday to Saturday. And 10am and 4pm, on a Sunday.

“There is strictly no parking allowed out with these times and the rules also apply to those using the EV charging points.

“We would also add that to ensure users of the car park have time to read the signs and decide whether to stay or leave, there is a five minute consideration period as set by the British Parking Association and International Parking Community joint code of practice.

“The motorist correctly received a parking charge on Sunday June 1st for parking for 11 minutes out with the permitted hours of 10am to 4pm.

“Parkingeye operates a BPA (British Parking Association) audited appeals process, which motorists can use to appeal their Parking Charge. If anyone has mitigating circumstances we would encourage them to appeal.

“The motorist made no appeal to highlight any mitigating reasons for breaking the rules of the car park and paid the charge in full.”