News

Woman wins parking fine battle with help from MP

October 06, 2008

A mum has won an appeal against a £50 parking fine after Finchampstead MP Andrew MacKay stepped in to champion her case.

Fiona Nyquist, of Nine Mile Ride, fell foul of the Denmark Street car park ticket confusion, which has hit many drivers over the last two years.

The car park is split between Wokingham Borough Council and Euro Car Parks, however some drivers park in one side and pay in the wrong ticket machine.

Most drivers are fined for displaying the wrong ticket.

Mrs Nyquist appealed her £50 fine after failing to notice she had parked in the Euro Car Parks side of the car park and paid for a council ticket when she visited the town in July.

The firm refused to budge on the fine at first, however Mr MacKay, whose Bracknell Forest constituency covers Finchampstead, stepped in to help.

He received a response from Euro Car Parks last month saying there was adequate signage at the car park in Denmark Street.

But it continued: “The parking charge notice has been issued correctly on this occasion, however Euro Car Parks also offer the policy of cancellation of the parking charge notice on the first offence.

“Therefore, as a gesture of goodwill the parking charge notice has been cancelled on this occasion.”

Mrs Nyquist said she is delighted at the result.

- Should every driver who has received a ticket as a result of the car park's confusion get a refund? Click the link below to have your say.

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So maybe they should have sodding neon signs there then??

I fail to see why it is two car parks anyway - it is absolutely ridiculous.

I have had the same problem as the lady in the story, but the parking 'attendant' told me I would be refunded if I appealed. I appealed and failed.

I had never parked in this car park and never will again. I will be giving Wokingham a wide birth from now on and go to Bracknell, it's a lot cheaper to park and much better!

Beef, Bracknell
08/12/2008 at 09:04

I write in response to the previous comment regarding signage. I am the lady who is in the Wokingham Times on page 8 today 3 Dec 08. Whilst walking along Denmark Street one day, I read the sign at the entrance to the car which says NOTHING about there being 2 different car parks inside. Whilst driving in to the car park, where the mention of different car parks is, you have to keep your eyes on the road as there are many cars coming from the left, right, front and rear, which is a main road. In addition, the 'signs' on the fence are strategically placed below car bonnet level and if you enter it, as I did, at lunchtime and the car park is particularly busy, these signs are completely obscured, how very convenient! Perhaps they should be in neon lights but I would suggest a sign beside both the Euro and the Council Ticket machines explaining that there are 2 different car parks in operation and to ensure you are parked in the right section, having bought a valid ticket. I am not even going to mention the Car Park attendants behaviour!!!

Alli
03/12/2008 at 10:47

With all due respect to anyone who has been fined, I'm sure it is very annoying, but the signs could not be clearer if there were two big neon arrows pointing at each half of the car park. Why do these people drive in without reading the signage? I can't help but think they only have themselves to blame. That said, it seems the parking attendants lie in wait for people to make this mistake, which is harsh. They should be there to help and inform the public, not lie in wait rubbing their hands together gleefully anticipating the fat fine they can squeeze out of confused drivers.