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Supermarket shoppers warned of £100 parking charges outside hours

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 6 Nov, 15:37 · Archive

Drivers risk £100 charges for parking at supermarket car parks outside opening hours or breaching other conditions.

Drivers at supermarket car parks including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Lidl risk £100 charges for parking outside opening hours or breaking other conditions. Some car parks restrict when vehicles can be left there even if the car park is empty, and the company Select Car Leasing has highlighted the issue as causing confusion among motorists.

Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, urged drivers to read signs before deciding whether to park. He said: 'Check the signage as you enter the car park carefully before making a decision about whether to stay or not. Not all store car parks punish after or before-hours parking, but many do, and it's an issue that's causing real confusion among motorists.' Mr Conway said the company had seen cases where people were charged after leaving a vehicle for a matter of minutes.

Supermarket car parks are often managed by private operators, which issue Parking Charge Notices when they believe conditions have been broken. Some use automatic number plate recognition cameras, with notices sent by post. Other conditions can include limits on the length of a stay, parking within marked bays and restrictions on who can use disabled or parent and child spaces.

A private Parking Charge Notice differs from a penalty charge notice issued by a council. In England and Wales, Citizens Advice recommends drivers check whether the parking company belongs to an accredited trade association when considering an appeal. It advises that if a non-member puts a ticket on a vehicle, the driver should not contact the company unless it writes to them first.

In Scotland, Citizens Advice says someone who wants to challenge a private ticket should first contact the operator, explain their reasons and ask for it to be withdrawn. They could also approach the landowner, such as the supermarket, and provide the operator with evidence including photographs of unclear signs.

Supermarket shoppers warned of £100 parking charges outside hours
Image: Andover Advertiser

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How it is being reported

In this story: Select Car Leasing · Tesco · Sainsbury's · Asda · Lidl · Graham Conway · Citizens Advice · England and Wales

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log