A shopper has been left angry and out of pocket after she was fined for overstaying in a town centre car park – despite claiming she wasn’t there at the time.
Yvonne Goodman parked in Spalding Sainsbury’s car park while she popped into town to do a bit of shopping – including buying groceries from the supermarket – but when she returned to her car she’d received a ticket.
Motorists are allowed to park in Holland Market for two hours for free but after that risk getting a fine.
Yvonne’s ticket stated that she’d overstayed in the car park by being there between 6.56am and 9.06am but she claims she didn’t park there until 10.30am.
Under the threat of the fine increasing from £30 to £60, Yvonne paid it but admits in hindsight that she was foolish in doing so and has contacted the parking firm, Smart Parking Limited, to ask for a refund.
She said: “Of course I want my money back but it’s about raising awareness of this. If it happened to me, how many other people have had the same problem?
“I was at home at the time stated on the ticket – and Sainsbury’s doesn’t even open until 7.30am.
“They didn’t even get the colour of my car right. On the ticket it says black but it’s gun metal grey.
“The parking firm wants me to prove I wasn’t there but how can I do that?
“I have receipts from Superdrug and Boots which prove I was in town later in the day but I can’t prove I wasn’t there earlier.”
Yvonne, of Fengate, Moulton Chapel, says she went back to the car park and spoke to the parking attendant Steve Baxter, who told her that if she had complained at the time he could have quashed the ticket but because she paid the fine she would have to appeal.
She added: “I went into Sainsbury’s to complain and was told it could have been a problem with the sensor in the space I parked in – maybe a leaf was on it – but surely that can’t be right?”
A spokesman for Smart Parking said: “We have looked into this and there is no problem with the sensor, therefore the charge stands.”
