A Blue Badge holding pensioner was stung with a £100 parking charge demand for leaving her car in a store car park 10 minutes over the 90-minute limit.
Veronica Black, of Doune, spent around £100 in Home Bargains in Whins of Milton on Monday, October 21.
She had visited the Glasgow Road store with her friend Margaret Ford from St Ninians. Mrs Black’s Fiat Punto was parked in the store car park – operated by Northumberland-based ‘ParkingEye’.
The 78-year-old was badly injured in a car accident in the late 1990s. As a result she finds walking for any length of time difficult.
She told The Observer: “I spent more than £100 in Home Bargains and I’ve been fined about the same.
“I will never step foot in the store again. It’s wrong to demand a fine for that amount of money. You’d think Home Bargains would want to encourage customers as it’s not the most central or accessible location.
“Their car park is huge. There can’t be a huge demand for parking spaces.
“I was there for just over an hour and a half. I’m a pensioner and not very mobile. I cannot just gallop round a store like that in a flash.”
ParkingEye photograph car number plates as vehicles enter and exit the Home Bargains car park. According to the £100 parking fine demand the Fiat had been in the car park for one hour and 40 minutes. The limit is one hour and 30 minutes.
Mrs Black - who cares for her 90-year-old husband Bill who has dementia – said: “I have phoned them (ParkingEye) three times today on the number to speak to them about the matter, but it just goes through to an answering machine. It’s not helpful at all.
“I really don’t see why I should have to pay this fine.”
Home Bargains pointed out that since their car park is run by a third party it was not for them to comment on the matter.
A ParkingEye spokesperson insisted this week that Mrs Black had to access the website or appeal in writing as stated on the back of their parking charge demand.
He said: “In this case the motorist has not appealed or responded to any of the correspondence sent to them. If a motorist has mitigating circumstances they are encouraged to appeal using our BPA audited appeals process. All appeals and circumstances are considered when submitted.”
