A holidaymaker from Aylesbury has spoken of her outrage after being hit with a £100 fine for stopping at a Weymouth car park for just five minutes.
Sue Hirst, 53, was unable to pay for parking as the machine only accepted coins, which she didn't have on her.
ParkingEye, which manages the Old Town West car park, has since cancelled the fine as a goodwill gesture.
Hirst had been enjoying a long weekend in the seaside town with her partner and dog.
"I walked up to the machine and it was only taking coins when I was there," she said.
ParkingEye, which manages the Old Town West car park, has since cancelled the fine as a goodwill gesture
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"I did not have any coins on me. Who carries coins anymore?"
She explained there was no reference to a parking app, so she returned to the car and drove away. A week later, Hirst was shocked to receive a parking notice through the post.
"It was a complete shock," she said. "We had a letter which said we had parked there for five minutes. Entrance time 3.37pm and departure time 3.43pm."
She noted that her partner didn't even leave the vehicle during their brief stop.
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"It ruined our holiday, you just don't expect to see a £100 fine."
ParkingEye states that motorists are given a "five-minute consideration period" before being charged for parking. This meant Hirst was fined for staying just 53 seconds over this limit.
"They are using the car park to trap tourists," she said. "I am not a local and most tourists would probably cave in and pay the fine."
She added: "I won't pay it. That is a lot of money and I am not at fault."
This is not the first time the car park has been at the centre of controversy.
Last year, NHS nurse Steve Cottrell was also fined £100 at the same location for a six-minute stay.
The 63-year-old said he felt "mugged" by the charge, which had "ruined his holiday".
After appealing and writing to MPs, ParkingEye eventually cancelled his fine as a "gesture of goodwill".
Another reviewer, Sarah Bradley, advised: 'Avoid this car park at all costs. They are total crooks' (Stock Image)
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Weymouth Old Town West car park has a 1.3 star rating on Google Reviews, with many visitors reporting similar experiences.
One reviewer, Louis Conibear, wrote: "My father received a fine for stopping just five minutes before deciding against parking in this car park."
Another reviewer, Sarah Bradley, advised: "Avoid this car park at all costs. They are total crooks."
ParkingEye claimed that Hirst could have paid through the Evology payment app, despite her not seeing any reference to it.
A spokesman said the car park has "17 prominent and highly-visible signs" explaining the rules.
They added: "Despite exceeding the consideration period and a further payment option being available, on this occasion we will cancel the charge as a gesture of goodwill."
