Motorist fined £70 for one-second overstay at NHS car park

♦ A driver was fined £70 for staying just one second over the 20-minute parking limit at an NHS hospital.

Kevin Williams, 32, stopped in the car park to take a distressed woman for treatment and sat with her as she waited to go inside.

But weeks later he received a letter telling him his VW had overstayed his 20-minute free parking limit because he was one second over. Mr Williams said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Where is the compassion to fine someone for just one second at a hospital?”

He appealed the charge, issued by Parkingeye, a private firm, but was told he would still have to pay.

Mr Williams told how he was leaving University Hospital Llandough, near Cardiff, when he encountered the woman. He said he waited with her until he found a nurse who could accompany her. Mr Williams, of Penarth, has paid the fine as he does not want to incur any more costs.

A Parkingeye spokesman said: “Our clients’ parking, in areas such as hospitals, needs to be monitored to ensure that patients can effectively access services.”