Author Topic: Vehicle Control Services Ltd cook up a new scam at East Midlands airport  (Read 1563 times)

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Offline The Bald Eagle

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Beeston couple's fury at being hit by fine at East Midlands Airport petrol station - despite paying for car park

They are refusing to pay the ticket


(L- R) Geoff Palmer, 69 and Sharon Palmer, 69 pictured with the penalty [stet] charge notice, at home in Beeston

A Beeston couple have been left furious after being hit with a car parking fine at East Midland Airport's petrol station - despite filling their car up and using the airport's drop-off point.

Sharon and Geoffrey Palmer, both aged 69, had stopped off for petrol before being dropped off at the airport's rapid drop-off zone, where their daughter then drive the car home while they jetted off abroad.

While Mr Palmer was paying £20 for petrol, on July 11, Sharon wanted to double check she had packed her husband's medication in the suitcase and so got out of the car to check the bag.

This is where Mrs Palmer believed CCTV filmed her and assumed she was being "dropped off" to head to the airport by foot.

Mrs Palmer said she did not walk to the airport from the petrol station and the couple then drove to the airport's drop-off zone, where they paid £3 to be dropped off.

And after returning from a week in Salou, she was left raging after being hit with a minimum £60 which could rise to £100 for "stopping in a zone where stopping is prohibited".



She is refusing to pay the notice, is now in the process of appealing it and wants to make others aware of how drivers are being "targeted" at the airport.

"It's made me that angry that I almost feel like going and standing at the petrol station and saying 'do you know you will probably get fined for filling up here'," she told Nottinghamshire Live.

"The thing is, I am all for abiding by the laws and if this is something where I was in the wrong I would say fair enough I will pay it.

"But I don't see how that is the case here. It's physically impossible to not pull over to put petrol in. All I did was get out the car to check our bags for medication for my husband.

"We got back in the car and went to to the rapid drop-off point and paid £3 for 10 minutes.

"There is no case here to fine us, the only reason I think we have got it is because I got out the car and got the bag out the car to check for the medication. We weren't trying to dodge paying."

The Palmer's plight comes after Nottinghamshire Live first reported a Clifton mum was fined for picking up her daughter while filling up with petrol at EMA.

Airport officials are stressing any driver who believes they have received a fine in error are entitled to challenge it. These are reviewed by the parking enforcement company on a case by case basis.

Drivers have also been banned from stopping next to busy roads near the airport.



Highways bosses are to declare the A453 near the airport and the new Castle Donington Relief Road as 'red routes'.

Officials said they hope the measure will speed up journey times to and from the airport and improve safety.

They are also responding to complaints that drivers picking up airport passengers are stopping at the petrol station rather than paying for parking.

An East Midlands Airport spokesman would not comment on the specific case but said: "All drivers dropping off and collecting passengers at EMA should use the designated car parks and drop-off facilities.

"One hour’s free parking can be had in Long Stay 2, which is ideal for drivers collecting passengers, ten minutes parking in rapid drop off costs £3, while 30 minutes in short stay 1 car park is £4.

"Over 8,000 people are employed across the airport estate and thousands of passengers arrive and depart each day from the airport. Everyone who comes to the airport, needs to be safe.

"Controlling traffic flow on the roads throughout the site is key to ensuring people’s safety and enjoyment of visiting EMA."

The spokesman added: "It is explicitly clear that the petrol station owners forbid drop offs and pick-ups.

They added there are signs on every pump and on walls and fences, which, in big red letters, reads: 'Strictly no drop-offs or pick-up at the fuel pumps'.

The enforcement of no waiting, parking, drop-offs, pick-ups on the petrol station forecourt is an arrangement between Vehicle Control Services Limited and the owners of the petrol station.

Vehicle Control Services Ltd were contacted by Nottinghamshire Live for comment.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/beeston-couples-fury-being-hit-3186794


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Mum fined for picking up daughter while filling up at petrol station near East Midlands Airport

She is willing to take the matter to court


Ruth Pickering, 52, of Clifton pictured with the penalty [stet] charge notice

A furious mum is refusing to pay up after she was slapped with an enforcement notice while paying for petrol at East Midlands Airport.

Ruth Pickering, 52, from Clifton, was filling up with petrol at The Fuel Station in the airport grounds when he daughter arrived back from a holiday in Barcelona.

Her daughter met her at the garage just as she was paying for petrol. She put her suitcase in the boot of the car and drove off.

But days later, a £60 enforcement notice was issued for 'stopping in a zone where stopping is prohibited.'

They even sent her CCTV images of her daughter putting the case into the boot, and said the fine will rise to £100 if not paid in 14 days.

The disgruntled mum, who works at Hands on Health in the city centre, said: "No way am I paying it. I will go to court.

"I dropped my daughter off at Birmingham Airport and they have a half an hour drop off point. She came back from Barcelona to East Midlands Airport .
 
"It was a girls' trip and she is 22. I was intending to go into the car park but my fuel was low so I thought I would go to the garage."

She said her daughter couldn't find her mum outside arrivals, called her dad, who directed her towards the garage forecourt where her mum was paying for petrol.

On July 16, she was sent the enforcement notice. An appeal was lodged but has been dismissed.

She added: "I was using the facilities. I am not just sitting there at the petrol station. I am absolutely furious. People are struggling for money to go on holiday anyway and then to add on this.

"It is just disgusting. It is a money making scheme. I had to stop to put fuel in. I think the 10 minute drop off points should be free.

"If Birmingham can do it, it is not asking a lot.

"These people prey on the weak. I have never been fined or gone to court in my life and this has stressed me out. It has made me think twice about going to the airport."


Part of the penalty charge notice that Ruth Pickering received

This month, drivers have also been banned from stopping next to busy roads near the airport.

Highways bosses are to declare the A453 near the airport and the new Castle Donington Relief Road as 'red routes.'

Officials say they hope the measure will speed up journey times to and from the airport and improve safety.

They are also responding to complaints that drivers picking up airport passengers are stopping there rather than paying for parking.

A spokesman for East Midlands Airport said: "Parking or waiting on roads across the airport estate has always been prohibited.

"While this was previously indicated by double yellow lines, all roads are now red-routed and are enforced by a third party organisation.

"The same compliance company also has a separate agreement in place with the petrol station.

"The safety of people visiting and working on the airport site is our number one priority.

"Over 8,000 people are employed across the airport estate and thousands of passengers arrive and depart each day from the airport. Everyone who comes to the airport, needs to be safe.

"Controlling traffic flow on the roads throughout the site is key to ensuring people’s safety and enjoyment of visiting EMA.



"Vehicles waiting in undesignated parking areas when dropping off and collecting passengers not only causes congestion, but is dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

"Likewise, dropping off and picking passengers up at the petrol station poses a risk to safety.

"All drivers dropping off and collecting passengers at EMA should use the designated car parks and drop-off facilities.

"Ten minutes parking in rapid drop off costs £3, while 30 minutes in short stay 1 car park is £4 and for those wishing to stay longer, one hour’s free parking can be had in Long Stay 2, which is ideal for drivers collecting passengers."

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/mum-fined-picking-up-daughter-3168418
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