Bradgate Park car fine is waived by its chairman
Car park machine didn’t produce a ticket
A COUPLE visiting Bradgate Park were told they would have to pay a parking fine of up to £95 – despite putting the correct amount in change in the meter.
Liz and Bryan Moore, who live in Coalville, had been prepared to appeal the fine and take it to their MP and the chairman of the park’s trustees.
But after the story appeared on the Leicestershire Live website, they were told the fine had been cancelled.
The couple put £4 in small coins into a machine at the car park near Old John but the screen on the machine stated it could not give them a ticket.
The machine also refused to return their coins, so they left a note on their dashboard and went to find a park ranger to tell them the machine was not working.
Instead, they were told by the ranger the machine simply did not like small coins and they should pay again or risk a £95 fine.
They hurried back to their car but by the time they arrived, a fine had been issued.
Bryan, 65, said: “We went to Bradgate Park for a walk on Sunday, August 2, and I was using lots of small coins in the parking machine.
“I put in £4 but the machine said the sale was aborted, or something, and wouldn’t give me a ticket.
“I also couldn’t get my money back and I wasn’t going to put in another £4.
“Instead we left a clear note in the car about what had happened.
“We had parked at the car park near Old John and when we got down to the main area of the park we spoke to a ranger. He said they were in the process of changing the machines because they were old and didn’t like small coins and had been causing trouble.
But he said we might well get a fine.
“We were over a mile away from the car but we rushed back, which took about 20 minutes, and we had a fine.
“Later the same day, I wrote to appeal against the fine but they replied a few days later saying the appeal would not be allowed, although we could go to the British Car Parking Association.”
He said he was told if they paid straight away the fine was £55, but they appealed it went up to £95.
“It really leaves a bad taste in my mouth because we go there at least once a month and we never park without paying,” Bryan said.
His wife said: “£95 is excessive in any circumstance. The breach of contract was with the owners for taking the money and not issuing a ticket. That makes the fine illegal.”
On Friday, Mr Moore received an email from interim park trust director Steve Palethorpe informing him the ticket has been cancelled.
It said: “Your fine was cancelled on Monday, August 17 by our Estate Office at my request.
“Having looked into this matter, they should have contacted you to confirm this. I apologise if this did not happen.”