Driver Wins Court Battle Over £268 Fine for £1.20 Parking Charge
A Sheffield driver successfully contested a hefty parking fine after a lengthy dispute over payment timing and procedures
Sheffield, UK, Parking Fine, Court Case, Excel Parking, David Lockett
Sheffield: So, there’s this guy named David Lockett, 53, who got into a bit of a pickle with Excel Parking. He parked his Citroen C4 Grand Picasso at Broomhill Rooftop Parking, and it took him 24 minutes to sort everything out.
Why? Well, he first tried to squeeze into a space that was way too small. Then, he had to set up an online account and enter his bank details just to pay. Talk about a hassle!
David wasn’t having it, so he appealed the fine right away. But guess what? They shot him down twice! Instead, he got letters from DCB Legal demanding more and more money—first £100, then £200, and finally £268 if he didn’t pay up quickly.
Things got a bit tense when the case went to mediation. David offered to pay £85, but Excel Parking wasn’t interested. They wanted the full amount.
Finally, it went to Huddersfield County Court. The judge, Ranjit Uppal, pointed out that Excel Parking seemed confused about how long David had to pay. Plus, there was no real loss for them since he had overpaid for his parking.
On January 2, the judge dismissed the case, and David felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders. He said it was a relief, but honestly, it was more annoying than anything else at first.
David shared, “I thought, why should I pay for something I don’t owe?” He felt like no one was willing to listen or compromise, just “pay us more money.” So, he decided to stand his ground.
He knew that if he lost, he’d have to pay the fine, but he also realized many people might not be in a position to fight back like he could.
As a senior manager in the NHS, David visited that car park in December 2023. He tried to park next to a Range Rover but couldn’t get out, so he moved to another spot.
After that, he downloaded a payment app, registered his car, and entered his bank details—all of which took 24 minutes. He said, “It took 24 minutes from entering the car park to paying for two hours of parking.”
He was shocked when he got the fine, especially since he was trying to follow their payment process the whole time.
David found support from an Excel Parking advice page on Facebook, where others shared similar experiences. He admitted it was stressful not knowing how it would turn out.
“I believed in my defense, but it all came down to the judge,” he said. After months of letters from a legal firm, the stress was real.
Excel Parking responded, saying they’re reviewing the judge’s comments and considering their next steps. They still believe the parking charge was valid since David paid 24 minutes after entering the car park. They suggested he could have called their helpline or used on-site machines if he had trouble with the app.
DCB Legal has been contacted for a comment, but it looks like David’s battle has sparked quite the conversation!