Investigation launched after Rasen drivers challenge £100 fine

Resident Zelia Canada received a letter from UKCPS - the company which manages the car park - stating that she had parked her car on June 26 at 7.58am.

The letter went on to say she was not recorded leaving until almost ten hours later.

However, Ms Canada has disputed that and told the Rasen Mail she had visited the Co-op at ‘around 8am’ that day to purchase items for her daughter’s lunch - but had left shortly afterwards to 
travel to Nottingham.

She said: “I dropped my child off at nursery, then went to Nottingham and came back (to Market Rasen) at 4pm for the school pick-up.”

Another resident, Charles Bailey, received a similar letter which indicated his car was parked for over 24 hours, from June 28 until June 29.

He said he visited the Co-op with his car on both those days, but is adamant he had not stayed for longer than 90 minutes on each occasion.

The car park is owned by the Lincolnshire Co-op but its management is sub-contracted to UKCPS.

Ms Canada and Mr Bailey both received fines of £100.

Regulations stipulate a limit of a 90-minute stay, with number plates recorded by a camera system.

Lincolnshire Co-op spokesman, Emma Snedden said the cases were being looked into.

She said: “We’d prefer not to have parking controls at our sites, but at some places we have found it necessary to help customers who are struggling to find parking spaces. This is the case in Market Rasen.

“We use parking controls to ensure the safe and efficient operation of our sites and we do not receive any revenue.

“These two complaints are concerning and we have instructed UKCPS to report back to us once they have investigated, following receipt of the appeals.”

A spokesman for UKCPS said: “We have a full appeals procedure in place. We are not in a position to comment on individual appeals.”