Pensioner fined £170 over £1 parking ticket – due to broken machine

Hornchurch: A 75-year-old man, Berkeley Bathurst, is really upset about a £170 parking fine he got. He says he couldn’t buy a ticket because the machine was broken. He left his car for just ten minutes to pop into the Post Office, and when he got back, he found a fine waiting for him.

A few weeks later, he received a letter saying he owed £100, which later jumped to £170. This was just days before Christmas, which made it even worse. Mr. Bathurst is determined not to pay, saying it’s not his fault the machine didn’t work. He’s calling the parking company “gangsters” and insists he’ll fight this all the way.

He tried to appeal the fine, but it was rejected. He’s really stressed about the whole situation, especially since £170 is a lot of money for him. He feels it’s unfair to expect him to find another way to pay when the machine was out of order.

Mr. Bathurst parked at Elm Park car park on October 16, hoping to pay £1 for half an hour. But the machine showed a ‘Not in use’ message. Without his phone to pay another way, he just ran his errand and went home.

After refusing to pay, the case was handed over to a debt collection agency, which added a £70 fee and threatened legal action. Mr. Bathurst and his wife, Angela, are worried about what might happen next, especially with the holidays coming up.

Angela thinks the parking company’s actions are over the top, especially for such a small amount. They’ve lived in Hornchurch for 30 years and are now warning others to be careful when using that car park. One Park Solution hasn’t commented on the situation yet.