Preston pensioner faces £100 parking fine after thinking Blue Badge would buy him extra time

A pensioner from Preston has been slapped with a £100 parking fine after thinking a Blue Badge would buy him more time.
Booths in FulwoodBooths in Fulwood
Booths in Fulwood

Gerry Dawnes, 75, from Preston, had parked at Booths supermarket opposite Royal Preston Hospital for two hours and 17 minutes.

Motorists are allowed a two hour stay at the car park which is monitored by ParkingEye.

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Gerry, who had dropped his wife June, 67, off at the hospital for an appointment before parking, said: “I’ve got a Blue Badge. I parked on Booths car park in front of Royal Preston Hospital in Fulwood.

“But now I have got a parking charge from ParkingEye for £100.

“I thought by having a Blue Badge it would be OK to park there for longer than two hours.

“I had gone onto the car park on the hospital and I drove round and I couldn’t get a parking space anywhere.

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“So I dropped my wife off and I thought I’ll go to Booths and do some shopping.

“So I went to Booths did my shopping, put it in the car and then got a coffee.

“Now I’ve got a parking fine for £100. I don’t expect special treatment and I sympathise with Booths but with having a Blue Badge I thought I would be allowed to stay a bit longer.”

A ParkingEye spokesman said: “The car park at Booths Fulwood is a two-hour max stay for Booths and retail parade customers only.

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"The system is in place to stop people parking on the car park and using the hospital facilities and is there to ensure that Booths customers can find a space when they arrive.

"Blue badge holders are entitled to park here however the signage is clear that all terms and conditions apply.

"ParkingEye is a member of the British Parking Association and operates a fully audited appeals process.

"If a motorist who receives a parking charge was a genuine customer of Booths on the day in question, they should appeal the parking charge with the accompanying evidence.”

Gerry is now appealing the parking ticket.

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