A man is fuming after being hit with an extortionate parking fine when his simple act of picking someone up from a train station went awry, thanks to train schedule hiccups.
Giles Richards, who had taken a trip from London to Devon by car, swung by Yeovil Junction station just to find out that the train he was due to meet had been tardily delayed. Due to this unforeseen hold-up, Giles overstayed the free 20-minute waiting allowance at the station's car park managed by APCOA Parking, which resulted in a £50 fine that later rose to £85 as reported by SomersetLive.
To add insult to injury, APCOA escalated matters to debt collectors, leaving Mr Richards reeling with a whopping £155 penalty charge for dodging the fine. Staunchly refusing to foot the bill, he has slated the confusing signage at the parking facility, condemned fines given amidst rail delays as grossly unfair, and lamented the absence of other waiting zones around Yeovil station.
In venting his exasperation, Mr Richards declared: "I have no issue with paying for car parks in general, however I feel as though on this occasion APCOA is acting in a predatory and unjust manner, and this is something which is occurring up and down the country."
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He continued, passionately voicing, "I do not believe it is morally justifiable to issue fines to people who are waiting for passengers on delayed trains. Especially considering, at Yeovil Junction station there is literally nowhere else to wait except the station car park.", reports Devon Live.
A motorist has been hit with a parking fine at a train station, despite the lack of alternative parking options. "The station is off the main road between Yeovil and Stowford. The approach to the station is double yellow lined all the way up to the car park entrance and the car park services nothing except the station. You are given no other option but to use their car park," the driver explained.
He continued: "I have appealed my fine, which was rejected by APCOA, and have also written to South Western Railway to ask them to intervene, as they are ultimately the landlords. They responded saying it was nothing to do with them and I would need to take it up with APCOA."
APCOA defended its position in a statement: "Visitors to Yeovil Junction are offered a 20 minute drop off/pick up grace period, free of charge. Customers needing to stay beyond this period should purchase a ticket in Yeovil Station's car park."
They added: "Whilst we understand that trains can sometimes be delayed, this customer arrived over 20 minutes before the train was due to arrive, so would have exceeded the permitted grace period anyway. Time limits have to be used in drop off and pick up areas to ensure that they remain available for other motorists."
South Western Railways responded: "Our colleagues at APCOA have sent me a copy of the detailed response that they sent to you and we have nothing to add to what they have said."
Despite the responses, Mr Richards is determined to contest the fine, arguing that it is unjust for him and other drivers using the station. In a frustrated retort to APCOA's explanation, he quipped: "The crux of APCOA's argument appears to be that I arrived over 20 minutes before the train I was meeting was scheduled. I arrived 23 minutes before the train."
Detailing his ongoing ordeal, he added: "So I am now being pursued by both APCOA and a debt collection agency to the tune of £155 over a matter of 3 minutes. That cannot be considered fair."
Reflecting on the circumstances that led to this situation, he shared: "Firstly, in my case, I had driven 140 miles from London and had no previous knowledge of the terms and conditions of the car park, which I later discovered are at the exit of the car park, rather than the entrance."
