Stockport Driver Hit With £170 Parking Charge Over White Line

£170 Parking Charge Warning After Stockport Driver's M&S Visit

Stockport Driver Hit With £170 Parking Charge After Tyre Crosses White Line A Stockport dad has been left £170 out of pocket after receiving a private parking charge at the Peel Centre while visiting Marks & Spencer. Tim Coates said he did not realise he had breached the car park's rules when one of his tyres was positioned on the white line separating two parking bays. The incident happened on 22 June when Mr Coates visited the M&S store. The car park's rules state that vehicles must be parked completely within the marked white lines. Driver says he needed space for his child Mr Coates said a vehicle parked next to him meant he could not move his car any closer without making it difficult to get his pram out. He said only one tyre was on the white line and argued that he needed the additional space because he had a child with him. A £100 parking charge was subsequently issued, which Mr Coates appealed. He said his appeal was rejected but that he did not become aware of the decision until a letter from a debt collector arrived. According to Mr Coates, this meant he missed the opportunity to pay the original charge before it increased to £170 or pursue a further appeal. Ocean Parking did not respond Mr Coates said the situation had caused him considerable frustration and warned that other drivers in Stockport may not realise how strictly the parking rules are enforced. Ocean Parking, which operates the Peel Centre car park, was repeatedly approached by the Manchester Evening News for comment but did not respond. Marks & Spencer also declined to comment on the case. IPC says no code breach was identified The International Parking Community (IPC), a DVLA-accredited parking trade association, became involved after Mr Coates raised a complaint. The IPC said evidence indicated that Mr Coates had been informed by email on 3 July that his appeal had been rejected. It said Ocean Parking had not received any notification that the email had failed to send or was undeliverable. The IPC also said it had not seen evidence that Ocean Parking had failed to issue the relevant notice or provide the required information, and found no breach of its code of practice in the handling of the case. Warning for drivers using private car parks The case highlights how important it can be for drivers to check the parking terms before leaving their vehicle, particularly at private retail and shopping-centre car parks. Rules can cover details such as how a vehicle must be positioned within a marked bay, meaning drivers should not assume that a small amount of overlap will automatically be ignored. For motorists visiting busy shopping centres, checking the parking conditions and finding a suitable space before arriving can also help avoid unexpected problems. EveryonesParking can help drivers plan parking before a journey, particularly when visiting busy retail areas where knowing your parking options in advance can make the trip easier. Mr Coates has also raised his concerns with his local MP, Navendu Mishra, who said he had previously discussed parking concerns at the Peel Centre with Ocean Parking. For now, the case serves as a reminder that drivers using private car parks should check the signs and marked bays carefully before leaving their vehicle.