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Chelmsford man wins three-year parking fine battle

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 10:44 · Archive

Rafal Goral, 45, from Chelmsford, has had a £100 parking penalty cancelled after a three-year dispute with Smart Parking Limited. He was issued the fine in August 2023 after paying 16 minutes late at a pay and display car park on Tower Road in Newquay during a day trip to Cornwall.

Mr Goral said the parking machine had a long queue and was not accepting card payments. He was forced to download an app and create an account to complete the payment. He received the penalty notice two weeks later.

Mr Goral appealed the fine in September 2023 but said he did not hear back until January, when he received a letter from a debt collection agency demanding £170. He contacted the agency and the case was put on hold after four months of communication. After a year and a half of silence, another debt collector contacted him in November 2025, stating the case would go to court in October 2026.

Mr Goral said: 'From start to finish it was not about the money, I could pay it, but it is about the principle. If you know you are right then you should not be paying any money to them.' He added: 'They could see on the cameras that I was trying to sort it out. I am their customer, how can you treat your customer like that?'

The fine has now been cancelled.

Chelmsford man wins three-year parking fine battle
Image: Colchester Gazette

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In this story: Rafal Goral · Smart Parking Limited · Newquay · Chelmsford · Cornwall

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