Rye woman upset over '˜wrongly issued parking ticket'

A woman who claims she was wrongly issued a parking ticket at a supermarket in Rye has refused to pay the £40 fine.
Jempson's car park in RyeJempson's car park in Rye
Jempson's car park in Rye

Carol Payne, 57, from Rye Harbour, said she visited Jempson’s, in Station Approach, on two separate occasions on August 29 and parked in the car park run by Total Parking Solutions.

She said she first arrived at 8.48am after dropping her sons off to work in Rye and left ten minutes later before returning to Jempson’s at about 5.15pm and leaving at 5.23pm.

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In the weeks that followed, Carol said she received a parking charge notice saying she had entered the car park at 8.48am and not left until 5.23pm.

She said: “This is not true as in between that I had gone home then driven to Hastings then went to Bexhill and then back to Jempson’s later.

“The company are sending charge notices to customers who visit their store twice in one day.”

She added: “They just show photos of you entering the first time and then leaving the second time. You then get a fine of £40 rising to £70 in 14 days.”

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Carol said the car park allows customers to park their vehicles for 30 minutes before 9am without a ticket and for two hours if they park after 5pm – both of which, Carol said, should have applied to her.

She added: “Their camera system is clearly not fit for purpose.”

A spokesman for Total Parking Solutions said they were unable to disclose any information relating to individual visits due to data protection.

Dominic Plomer Roberts, from Jempson’s, said the issue surrounding the parking charge notice had never been reported to the supermarket or Total Parking Solutions.

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He said: “This is the first that we have heard about this complaint, neither has it been brought to the attention of our colleagues at the Rye supermarket nor Total Parking Solutions who operate and manage the parking system on our behalf either.

“The car park is automatically monitored by TPS Parking Solutions. New cameras were installed mid-September as part of the routine maintenance associated with the management of the site.

“As we are not in receipt of any of the details, I am afraid we cannot comment on this particular case, but if (Carol Payne) wishes to provide information, we will investigate.”

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