November 16, 2020 4.18 pm This story is over 40 months old

Lincoln shopper slams “ridiculous” parking fine at Lincoln retail park

Parking operator fining genuine shoppers
The frustrated man had used Tritton Road Retail Park's car park when visiting Smyths Toys Superstore to pick up a click and collect order. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A man parking for just 14 minutes whilst picking up a click and collect order at the Tritton Road Retail Park has described his £60 charge as “ridiculous”.

Many people had issues with the car park at the retail park in the past, but when Iain Graham parked there at 8.09pm on November 2 he didn’t anticipate any problems.

He left the car park 14 minutes later after picking up a click and collect order from Smyths Toys Superstore at the retail park.

However, he has since received a letter from the car park’s operator UK Parking Control Ltd saying his vehicle was “present on site during the restricted no parking period between the hours of 8pm and 7am”.

The letter also includes images of his car at the site, where ANPR cameras are in operation.

Signage states there should be no parking between 8pm and 7am, but Iain told The Lincolnite he thinks the charge is ridiculous, questioning “how can the car park be deemed shut when the gates are open and there are still stores open?”

A copy of the parking charge letter.

Ian has since appealed against the charge to UKPC Ltd, indicating to the parking firm that the stores in that car park are still open until 9pm.

He said he was told they have 35 days to get back to him and that it is a restricted parking period between 8pm and 7am as per the signage at the car park.

Iain also decided to email Smyths Toys via their website to explain that they may have other disgruntled customers, as there were a number of other cars parked outside the store after 8pm on November 2.

UKPC Ltd’s signage at the Tritton Road Retail Park. A new sticker has been visibly placed over the no parking hours. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Ian said: “Having driven through the open gates and visiting an open store, I had no indication that I would be getting a charge for using a ‘closed’ car park.

“The charge is for £60, unless I do not pay within 14 days in which case it goes up to £100. If that is not paid then I am already being threatened with a debt recovery agency.

“However, as I am contesting the charge it will automatically roll on to the higher rate and I lose the £40 ‘early pay discount’.”

The Lincolnite tried to contact UKPC Ltd, but there was no reply by the time of publication.

The firm have also failed to respond on the other occasions we have contacted them for previous stories.

ANPR cameras are in operation at Tritton Road Retail Park. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Tritton Road Retail Park during lockdown on the afternoon of November 16, 2020. | Photo: The Lincolnite

This is not the first time people have complained about charges at this car park.

In November 2018, residents said they were planning to boycott the car park after they introduced new £100 fines for “leaving the site”.

Drivers at the time said they had not been warned about the change of rules, except for a small yellow notice on the signs at the car park.

Earlier the same year, in April 2018, it was reported that UK Parking Control was fined almost £6,000 for refusing to provide CCTV footage from a Lincoln car park that would have helped an investigation into fly-tipping.

The car park’s operator UKPC was also embroiled in a scandal in 2015 where drivers appealed against fraudulent parking tickets.

A former warden previously told The Lincolnite in 2015 how attendants were encouraged to ‘bend the rules’ for bonuses.

If you have experienced issues at this car park, please email [email protected] with details