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A dad says he has been “hounded” for seven months to pay a parking ticket after his dyslexic son accidentally entered the wrong digits on the machine.
Colin Marshall, 62, said he had appealed four times over the parking fine, which has now reached £170 (€193.74) in the course of seven months.
He had visited Fantasy Island in Skegness, Lincolnshire, with his son Kieran Ramsey, 29, and Kieran’s one-year-old son.
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They paid for a £6-day ticket but were left with a £30 (€34) fine due to entering the wrong car registration number.
Since the fine in April, Colin has even sent a €23.93 Royal Mail special delivery to the company with evidence that it had been paid but was told by the company that it didn’t accept post.
But speaking to Lincolnshire Live , the dad said: “We are being hounded seven months later, it’s terrible and harassment. I am quite level-headed, but it is still stressful getting demands when we have sent a ticket saying we’ve paid the landowner.
“My son has got a young child and had a day out, paid the ticket and put it on the windshield. Thank god we kept the ticket or I’d have been screwed, they are still denying that we paid, it’s just horrendous.”
Colin, who is a grandfather, also said he explained to the company about his son’s dyslexia but is still being asked to pay the fine.
He said: “Dyslexia is a medical condition which is recognised so they are penalising people with learning difficulties.
“You’re hitting your head against a brick wall because they aren’t listening to what you’re saying when you’re supplying them with all the details. The appeal has been rejected three times and the fourth letter said it doesn’t accept letters I’ve sent. They’ve sent another letter demanding £170.”
Colin said that when he spoke to a representative of the company online they were “arrogant” and “pig-headed”, with an “unprofessional” approach.
He described the situation as a “nightmare” after the ticket’s reference number was rejected, and then the posted ticket was also rejected.
The motorist, from Spalding, Lincolnshire, said: “When you think of older people that are still driving and the technology is changing, they can put one digit wrong but they’ve still paid. In the old days, you had the machine with the cash, paid it and there never seemed to be an issue with that.
“The cameras are just a nightmare because whoever is using them isn’t doing it correctly. Older people are going to have these sorts of issues.”
An investigation was launched by East Lindsey District Council in August 2022 over a potential breach of planning control at the Fantasy Island car park.
The council is looking into whether the ANPR cameras, ticket machines and car parking restrictions notices were installed without planning consent.
Smart Parking has been approached for comment. Fantasy Island was also approached for comment.
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