OAP is THIRD motorist hit with £100 fine for stopping at notorious East Midlands Airport petrol station
A STUNNED pensioner is the third motorist in just days slapped with a fine for dropping someone off at a now notorious airport petrol station.
Terry Tunnicliffe, 77, had planned to drop his pal at East Midlands Airport's drop-off area but when he stopped for petrol his passenger got out to walk the rest of the way.
Furious Terry, of Findern, Derbyshire, is just the latest and in a recent spate of customers hit with fines at the spot, accused of daylight robbery.
He said: "I was dropping off a friend at the airport but they literally got out and walked away while I was putting petrol in.
"I just wanted to fill up and to go to the drop off area which is what I normally do but my passenger said he’d nip off to stop me from having to do it.
"I didn't notice the signs saying no drop offs, it's so innocent.
Last week we told how the notorious airport petrol station walloped yet another unsuspecting person with a huge fine – a fuming mum who had only stopped for “two minutes”.
Louise Stevens, from Littleover in Derbyshire, has accused the BP station at East Midlands Airport of “daylight robbery” after she copped a £100 parking fine.
And just days before a couple were hit with a as they were filling at the very same station.
Sharon and Geoffrey Palmer, both 69, had stopped off for petrol before being dropped off at the airport's rapid drop-off zone.
Customers who pick up or drop off "irrespective of whether they subsequently use the filling station’s facilities", the owners said.
Terry added: "I wasn't using the garage as a dropping off point, I parked correctly and I was in and out within five minutes. I bought the fuel, that's the really annoying thing.
"I'm shaking just talking about it. I’ve never been in trouble with the police in my life. I've been brought up to speak the truth.
"I have had a clean licence for 60 years but this has got to a point where it makes you frightened. £100 is a lot out of your pension and me and my wife have never had anything like this."
Mr Tunnicliffe is the latest in a large group of people who have been fined in a similar way.
A representative for Vehicle Control Services Ltd, who issue the fines said: "There is signage at the fuel pumps warning motorists that there is 'Strictly No Drop Off or Pick Up at the Fuel Pumps'.
"By his own admission, Mr Tunnicliffe dropped off an airport passenger whilst refuelling. Should he chose to do so, Mr Tunnicliffe has the option to utilise our appeals procedure, details of which are set out on the reverse of the Parking Charge Notice."
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Earlier this week The Prax Group, which owns the petrol station, released a statement which stated that motorists either picking up or dropping off airport passengers at the petrol station is causing a "serious health and safety concern".
A spokesperson at East Midlands Airport 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 who have to wait longer for their passengers, ten minutes parking in rapid drop off costs £3, while 30 minutes in short stay 1 car park is £4.”
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