‘Stunned’ mum hit with 17-hour parking advantageous after ’10 minutes’ at retail park
Nikita Betton received a £60 parking charge notice for allegedly parking at Springfield Retail Park for 17 hours and 44 minutes – but she claims she was only there for 10 minutes
The mum was said to have overstayed at Springfield Retail Park in Bulwell, Nottingham(Image: Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)
A Nottingham mum claims she was left ‘stunned’ after receiving a parking ticket for allegedly staying at a retail park for almost 18 hours, despite only nipping in for 10 minutes.
Nikita Betton discovered the parking charge notice in her letterbox just before Christmas, with Premier Park – which manages parking charges at Springfield Retail Park car park in Bulwell – demanding payment. The letter, dated December 23, accused her of parking at the retail park for 17 hours and 44 minutes – 14 hours beyond the permitted time – from 3.36pm on December 18 until 9.21am the following day.
The 37-year-old was instructed to pay £60 before the penalty rises to £100. “I was absolutely dumbfounded. I was there for 10 minutes if that to go to the pound shop,” she said, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
“We go there all the time, we’ve been going years and never ever had anything like this. Christmas is hard enough without having a parking fine letter through your door.”
Ms Betton said she has evidence she was in multiple other locations during that timeframe, including doing the school run, and has contested the penalty.
“I’ve not heard anything back and the only telephone number they have is one you have to pay for,” said the mum-of-four from Arnold.
“I went to fill up my petrol, went to Home Bargains in Hucknall and a shop near my house. And I had to pick my daughter up from school in Aspley. I’ve never had anything like this so I’m hoping they overturn it. I’ve got evidence in my bank statements. I’ve honestly got no idea if they will because there’s no-one I can talk to. I’ve not got a clue.”
Campaigner Hugh Bladon, from the Alliance of British Drivers, revealed he’d encountered “too many” similar situations.
“It’s all to do with raising money from the motorist,” he declared. “She has every right to say they are wrong, and they should have to prove to her that she was in the car park for that period of time”.
“The car park companies are out to get whatever money they can. They need to be properly regulated and they’re an absolute stain on the way we live. What the lady mustn’t do is back down and pay. She should continue to challenge this.”
Premier Park has been approached for a response.
Nottinghamshire Live has previously heard from drivers incorrectly penalised at the identical retail park, including a driving instructor who merely used the car park to demonstrate a single manoeuvre back in August 2020.
A month before that incident, a 40-year-old woman received a penalty for supposedly parking for nearly 14 hours, despite insisting she had never visited the location.
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