Nurse fined £70 after car battery died when she went to get cash out at Asda

22 March 2023 , 14:10

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Nurse Pip was fined £70 (Image: BPM Media)

A nurse in the West Midlands was slapped with a £70 parking fine when she stopped to get cash out at Asda.

A perfect storm occurred for Pip Olliver when she found out she wasn't allowed to park outside the shop in Minworth near Sutton Coldfield when it isn't open and her car battery then died.

The NHS worker said to Birmingham Live: “I just needed the cashpoint to get some money out on a Sunday. My battery had been playing up but I didn’t expect it not to work.

“I went to Asda out of store hours. It was flat and I called my husband who came from home and we got my car started. I wasn’t aware of the parking restrictions and about a week later I got the parking charge for £70 (which says it is discounted to £40 if you pay within 14 days)."

Pip was hit with a £70 fine from Parkingeye, a company that manages the car park for the supermarket.

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Nurse fined £70 after car battery died when she went to get cash out at Asda

ATMs at Pip's Asda (BPM Media)

The 54-year-old rang her husband to come with jump leads to restart her car and it meant she was there for just half an hour.

“I appealed to Parkingeye – went on their website and you tick a box to appeal. I said if you check your cameras you will see my husband came in a few minutes after and both our cars left together. But I got an email back to say my appeal had been rejected.

Signs outside the car park said people were allowed only a three-hour stay when the supermarket is open, and they cannot use it outside of working hours.

Parking signage at Asda Minworth (BPM Media)

“We went back and saw the small signs with very small print that said really you shouldn’t really be able to use the cashpoints, as you’re not allowed to park for any minutes at all out of hours.”

In an email to Pip, Parkingeye said: "We have reviewed the details outlined in your appeal, but we are not in receipt of sufficient evidence to confirm that the terms and conditions were not breached. These terms are clearly displayed on the signage located throughout the above car park.

Pip Olliver's parking fine after a visit to Asda Minworth (BPM Media)

“Parkingeye are a member of the British Parking Association (BPA) and can confirm that there is adequate signage at this site that is visible, appropriately located and in line with the guidelines set out in the BPA Code of Practice."

Eventually, the nurse took the issue up with Asda and made a complaint. The supermarket chain said it would cancel it "just this once".

Pip added: "I could have done without the ticket and the anxiety about how to pay the £70."

A spokesman for Parkingeye added: "The car park at Asda Minworth features prominent and highly-visible signs throughout providing information on how to use the car park responsibly. Asda customers have a maximum stay of three hours and the signage clearly states that there is no parking outside of the store opening hours.

“The motorist received a Parking Charge Notice due to parking for over 30 minutes when the store was closed. However, following a review of the case, we have cancelled as a gesture of goodwill."