A furious couple have called for "a little common sense and a bit of human decency" after they were unable to pay for parking using a ticket machine, so instead left cash and a sweet note under their window wiper - but were fined anyway.
Hikers Andrew Frith and Olivia Donnelly returned from their walk in Gwastadnant, Snowdonia to find that a parking attendant had ignored their note and slapped them with a £70 penalty notice.
The pair thought the machines would accept cashless payments, especially due to previous Government advice that coins and bank notes can spread Covid, but this wasn’t the case at a pay-and-display facility in the scenic area.
They were given a £5 note by another walker so they could pay for the £2 per person charge, but found out that the machine only accepts coins.
The West Midlands couple, who have a home in Y Felinheli, in Gwynedd, northwest Wales slipped the money under the wiper of their vehicle with a note stating: "Hello Mr parking attendant. We only have notes / cards and really wanted to hike on our off day, here is £5 for the parking."
Andrew, a 42-year-old financial consultant told North Wales Live : “We did not bring coins in view of past government guidance that they could encourage the spread of Covid.
“We had to pay £4, so we asked around and were given £5 by another hiker, who very generously refused to take any promises from us.
“The banknote was left under the wiper with a friendly note to the parking attendant."
Andrew added that he and his partner Olivia, an NHS clinical psychologist, were "very disappointed" to arrive back later to find a penalty notice.
He said: “It is a sad state of affairs when genuine people who do the right thing are still penalised.
“Surely the parking system is not in place to target this type of goodwill and honest behaviour?”
Gwynedd Council said a cashless payment system has been introduced in the "vast majority" of its pay-and-display car parks.
A spokesperson said: “Some locations mean that it is difficult to introduce this system due to internet and phone coverage and we have raised the matter with the company that provides us with this service.”
Andrew added that the issue was less about the money and more about the principle.
He said: “We regularly go hiking in Snowdonia and I’m the kind of person who likes to pay for parking when it’s not really necessary, as the proceeds go to fund local services and facilities.
“Over the last 12 months, I must have paid £50 more than I needed to on parking.
“So all we’re calling for is a little common sense and a bit of human decency.
“It should have been clear to the parking attendant that we were happy to pay – and did pay. The £5 we left was more than the cost of the parking ticket.
“Clearly we risked someone stealing the money but for us, morally, paying for our parking was the right thing to do.”
An appeal to Gwynedd Council fell on deaf ears, other than a reminder the fine would be halved if paid within 14 days.
Andrew said he was a frequent user of Snowdonia's car parks and was aware of the number of fines dished out.
“I made sure I parked carefully within the designated area, as you often see vehicles with penalty notices for being a couple of inches over the line,” he said.
“Snowdon has become a money-making hotspot where it doesn’t matter if you try to do the right thing - you still risk being penalised.”
Gwynedd Council said penalty notices include advice on how appeals can be lodged by those who feel they have been fined unfairly.
“Every appeal is thoroughly assessed,” said a spokesperson.
“At the end of this process, should the complainant remains unhappy, they have the right to appeal to an independent adjudication body.”
