Fury over ‘bully boy’ parking fine

Aug 27 2008 Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

AN AIRDRIE man has voiced his fury at being given a parking ticket at Coatbridge’s Faraday Retail Park.

Michael Phee went to pick up a carpet from the Carpet Right store and parked his car outside.

He said: ‘‘I was always led to believe that this was a drop-off and collection point for the shop and there were no signs around saying ‘no parking.’

“I can only have been in the shop ten minutes at most and got a ticket. A week later I was sent a very official-looking notice that I owed £80.”

Michael’s anger at this fine led him to search for his rights to appeal and he went online. He said: ‘‘I looked on some websites and they said if I was picking something up I would have good grounds for appeal, but this was dismissed and I was actually told that the fine was now doubled.’’

The company involved are UK Parking Control Ltd and Michael’s feeling of injustice led to him seeking advice from Trading Standards.

He said: “They told me that they felt this was wrong and that this company had received a few complaints from other people in a similar situation.”

Michael has already sent UK Parking Control Ltd two letters and is in the process of sending a third, in which he makes it clear that he has no intention of paying the £160 parking penalty.

He said: “I feel that this company are using real ‘bully-boy’ tactics.

“You cannot appeal independently so they are both judge and jury for each person’s individual case and I don’t think that’s right.”

Georgia McGuiness, appeals manager at UK Parking Control, said: “There is a UKPC sign on the wall in front of where Mr Phee had parked his vehicle. This sign clearly states that you must be parked within a marked bay.

“Mr Phee’s fine has not doubled. As is stated in the letter dated August 21, 2008, we are willing to receive payment at the reduced rate. Mr Phee has only sent us two appeal letters which were received on July 24, 2008 and August 21, 2008.

“We will not be waiving this parking charge in full.”