Doctor criticises unclear parking rules after ticket

Matt Stammers said he had a ‘terrible experience’ when parking in the Lyndhurst Road Car Park West, in Worthing, on July 23, and wants to warn other motorists.

He had to pay a £25 fine after parking in the west side but purchasing a ticket for the east side, despite the prices being identical.

Dr Stammers said: “I had no idea that there were two different machines for the specific car parks.

“These are two very similar looking car parks arbitrarily divided by a walkway with a central machine and with the total cost of tickets being identical and nothing on the signs to say otherwise I mistakenly assumed that it was one car park.

“My concern is that this may well be happening to other visitors to the town. Also, anyone with a visual impairment will struggle to see the tiny sign on the central machine.

“To a visitor, it all initially appears as one car park with three machines where you can pay.

“The only warning that exists is a tiny sign on the central machine, which you have to really be looking for to see.

“I suspect that the council is making a fair amount of money in fines from this car park, perhaps more than any other car park in Worthing proportional to its size.”

Dr Stammers had his appeal rejected.

“I was very frustrated when I returned to my car after my meeting to find a ticket,” he said.

“As far as I was concerned, there was no indication to say that the two machines were any different and I noticed that other people had been caught out just as I was. My fear is that lots of people must get caught out.”

Worthing Borough Council said that parking wardens were not issuing penalty charge notices in such circumstances and appeals were now being accepted. The council is amalgamating the two sides.