Mansfield District council issue apology after traffic wardens ticket cars too early

Chad understands that a number of parking fines were issued to cars parked at Water Meadows Leisure Centre in Mansfield on Tuesday, October 27, just minutes after visitors had arrived.

The Bath Street car park serves the Water Meadows Leisure Centre complex but can also be used by members of the public who aren’t using the facilities.

Leisure centre visitors are eligible for three hours of free parking if they prove that they are using the centre by entering their car’s registration details on a tablet inside the building.

Those who are parking for other reasons, however, have to pay £1 per hour or obtain a free ticket and display it on their windscreen if staying for less than 30 minutes.

But on October 27, fines were issued to leisure centre visitors, despite them asserting that they had entered their car’s details inside.

One anonymous fine recipient said the car park system was “a complete shambles and not fit for purpose” and said he had witnessed two other angry customers in the queue who had experienced the same problem.

Addressing the matter on Thursday, November 5, it appeared that Mansfield District Council, which runs the car park, had worked out the crux of the issue.

Enforcement staff appeared to have ticketed the cars in the time it took for the driver to get out, walk to the tablet inside and enter their details.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We are sorry that users of the Water Meadows leisure centre were issued with parking tickets on this occasion. It would appear they were issued in the time between leaving a vehicle and registering the vehicle for free parking in the centre.”

Even though users of the car park are entitled to 30 minutes of free parking, they must have a ticket from the machine in the car park showing their arrival time to prove they have not been there longer than 30 minutes.

Leisure centre visitors, however, tend not to get this ticket, as they get three hours for free if they only enter their details at the centre.

The spokesperson said: “We recognise that, for ease, many leisure centre users skip this (getting a 30-minute ticket) before registering for three hours’ free parking on the tablets in the centre.

“The car park is monitored by Civil Enforcement Officers as part of the Notts Parking Partnership scheme. We have asked that they give users of the Water Meadows enough time to allow them to register their car details for the three hours of free parking before issuing a penalty.

“Anyone who feels they have been erroneously issued with a parking ticket can appeal the charge. We urge any leisure centre users who registered their vehicle details but who received a penalty, to do this.”

Concerns have also been raised by coaches who teach swimming at the leisure centre that three hours of free parking is not enough.

One said that they had raised the issue with the venue but had been told that their car’s registration details could not be added to a list of approved “contractor” number plates.

The coach said that people “trying to support sport in our communities” should not be “unfairly taxed”.

A spokesperson for Mansfield District Council said: “We are also looking into ways to allow more than three hours’ free parking for people who coach or teach at the leisure centre so that they can avoid parking penalties.”