St Peter's parking fines caused by '˜machine fault'

Parking Eye is responsible for St Peter’s Retail Park, using cameras to monitor when vehicles enter and leave the site.

But drivers were left baffled during a recent Sunday - when motorists can park for £1 all day - after being hit with fines.

One motorist even appealed her fixed penalty notice, but the appeal was rejected.

It was only after the Chad contacted Parking Eye that the company realised its mistake.

A Parking Eye spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, the driver was issued a parking charge in error due to a technical fault on a machine at St Peter’s Retail Park.

“The charge has been cancelled and a letter of confirmation has been sent. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“Any other parking charges issued in error have been cancelled and payments refunded, and letters have been sent to confirm this.

“No one has suffered financial loss due to this fault.”

The issue angered Billie-Leigh Vick, after her mother was hit with the fine.

Lorraine Williams, 53, from Clipstone, had been shopping at the park and her Nissan Juke triggered the cameras for overstaying, despite paying for a ticket, and she was sent a letter demanding she pay £85.

Like all penalty notices, she was told that if she paid within a set time, the fine would be discounted, and if she didn’t pay at all, could expect legal action.

Billie-Leigh said: “It really upset her, if she was an elderly woman she could have paid it because they would have been scared.

“It had been plying on her mind, but we knew it wasn’t right.”

It is not the first time Parking Eye has hit the headlines.

Earlier this year motorists complained after being fined when they became struck in traffic while trying to leave St Peter’s Retail Park.

The cameras picked up their registration plates as they left and they were automatically fined having overstayed their allotted time.