Parents’ fury over £100 fine for taking ‘seconds too long’ to drop their child off at pre school
PARENTS were left furious after they were fined £100 for taking "seconds too long" when dropping their child off at pre school.
The dad, who does not wish to be named, said he just exceeded the strict 20 minute limit in the car park of the St John's Pre-School Nursery in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset.
He said drop-off and pick-up was taking longer than usual - as parents had to queue up outside the Church of England school due to Covid and cleaning regulations.
But he claimed that, despite there not being enough time given to do this safely, fines were automatically imposed if parents surpassed the allocated time by "20 or 30 seconds."
The dad said he entered the car park at 4.16pm to pick up his four-year-old daughter, and waited in a queue of four or five parents to retrieve her.
They left the car park at 4.38pm and he received a letter in the post saying he had to pay a £100 fine as he overstayed the limit by one minute and 39 seconds.
The dad has appealed and got it reduced to £20.
The school introduced the 20-minute cap and automatic number plate recognition in November 2021 to stop people not connected with the school parking there.
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But the parent said the parking enforcement, run by Creative Car Park, was "overzealous", and called on fines dished out to parents to be refunded.
He said during morning drop-offs there can be up to 20 parents in a queue, making it impossible to adhere to the allocated time.
He said: "I parked at 4.16pm and was there slightly earlier than normal because there was less traffic.
"I queued up behind four or five parents to pick up my daughter and we went back to the car and drove off at 4.38pm.
"I got a ticket for £100 because I was in the car park for one minute and 39 seconds two long.
"You're given 20-minutes and then if you're 20-seconds, or 30-seconds late you're given a ticket.
"Nearly all the parents have been caught out by this, yet I thought there was a 10-minute grace system with car parks (where you shouldn't be fined)
"They're just picking on parents - it's unfair.
OVER THE LIMIT
"This is enforcement for the sake of it and it looks like they're just beating up the parents - all we're doing is taking our kids there.
"One person even got four tickets.
"I want them to scrap it, refund all of the tickets and start again.
"I'd like to see a system where you put your car number in and even if there's an error with the system then we don't get a ticket.
"I've had to start parking somewhere else and my wife comes with me, she takes our child in and I have to wait in the car - it’s like you're going in with a stopwatch.
"It's not on. We're just doing what parents do, we're taking our kids to school."
Reverend David Price, the vicar at St John's Church, confirmed he liaised closely with the pre-school about the scheme and its introduction.
Have you been affected by the parking fines? Get in touch [email protected]
He said that if parents know they are going to exceed the time limit then they can write their registration on a tablet in the nursery.
He insists that the new system was introduced "as a means to make life easier and safer for bona fide users."
He said: "It is disappointing that some nursery parents feel 'picked on' or 'under a stop watch' because the aim of introducing the system for remote management of the car park was the opposite.
“Most users of the car park who have expressed an opinion consider the new system to have succeeded in its aim.
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"I have dealt with emails from several parents/carers of children at the nursery, assisting them in their dealings with the company and people have expressed their thanks to me for helping and for correcting misunderstandings."
Creative Car Park and St John's Pre-School Nursery declined to comment.
