Organisers of the Durham Easter Egg Run were last year hit with fines from Horizon Parking after over 800 bikers delivered 2,500 chocolate treats to children in Darlington and Durham hospitals.
Now Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy has written a letter to the parking company urging them not to have a repeat scenario.
The bikers, who have been running the event since 2013, usually gather at Tesco Extra in Dragonville, but their good deed was tarnished in 2024 after they were hit with a stack of fines.
He left the car park at 10.19am, just 21 minutes over the normal three-hour parking limit in place.
City of Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy has asked Horizon Parking not to fine the “selfless” bikers who are set to turn out this year.
Ms Foy wrote: “I am writing to you ahead of the Durham Easter Egg Run, which is due to take place on Easter Sunday.
“You may recall last year fines were issued to a number of the selfless bikers who took part in the much-loved local charity event.
“The fines were thankfully retracted after public outcry and contact I made with your parking company on behalf of those affected.
“The organisers, as they always do, have been working meticulously for months with Durham County Council, Durham Constabulary and other relevant organisations to ensure the event runs smoothly and safely.
“Please can I request that you ensure a notice or memorandum is issued to your enforcement teams who monitor the Tesco Dragonville car park, making them aware that those using the area as a congregation point prior to the event beginning are not issued with tickets.
“If we could avoid a repeat of last year, which sadly left a stain on what was otherwise a seamless event for some participants and the organisers, that would be appreciated by everyone involved.
“Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.”
This year, the bikers will depart at 10am on Easter Sunday morning, April 20, to travel en-masse to Darlington Memorial Hospital, arriving at around 11am.
After a break at the hospital to enable the children to see the bikes and to deliver Easter eggs to the children’s wards, the convoy will then go to Durham to deliver eggs to the University Hospital.
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So far, over £4,000 has been raised in a fundraiser for the event – with money set to go to charities including The North East Air Ambulance, Northumbria Blood Bikes and Miles for Men.
A spokesperson for Tesco previously said in 2024 that they were “sorry” to hear the fines were issued and said it would “ensure all the charges are waived”.
Horizon Parking has been contacted for comment.
