Croft Road Car Park £75 fine claimed to be "disproportionate"

Worcester City Council said the matter is going to a tribunal and is not making comment at this time.

Amanda Ashman, from Cheltenham, visited Worcester at 1.06pm on November 17 last year parking on Croft Road Car Park. 

That day a section of the car park was not in use for parking as a makeshift NHS clinic was set up.

CLINIC: Pop up clinic on Croft Road (Image: Newsquest)Mrs Ashman parked her Mini on the section, using a machine on the site to pay £1.50 for two hours parking. 

When she returned to the car she found she had been hit with a penalty charge notice of £50 giving 28 days before the penalty increased. 

Her husband Simon Ashman said: "The council claimed she had parked illegally.

"This was shocking because the car park opening hours displayed on the parking machine were perfectly aligned with the period of parking.

TICKET: Worcester City Council's penalty charging notice (Image: Simon Ashman)

"We were then told that the car park was closed due to an NHS function.

"However, we argued not one single sign was evident at the entry, at the pay machine in front of the car parking space used.

"No photos have been provided showing any signage present at the pay machine."

A picture of a sign was provided to the pair by the authority but Mr Ashman claimed that sign was not present when his wife entered the car park. 

"My wife was visiting her niece who is attending University in Worcester and her mum, who lives in Pershore. 

"As my wife is not a local, it is unreasonable to assume she would be aware of an event in a car park and naturally the council has a duty to make it explicitly clear if they intend for a car park to close.

SIGN: Picture of the sign Worcester City Council gave as evidence which it is claimed was not on display at the time (Image: Simon Ashman)"We believe it is reasonable to expect the council to put a sign over the pay machine rendering it out of use with appropriately positioned signage showing it is not currently in use."

Mr Ashman said he has been challenging the fine since November. 

"My wife forwarded the valid ticket and we assumed that would be the end of it," he said. 

"But due to the time this has taken I have recorded how much money I have lost from fee-earning work as a consultant, I have now invoiced this amount to the council. So far, it equals £480."

A Worcester City Council spokesperson said: "This case has been referred to the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal, so it would not be appropriate for the council to comment at this stage.”