A Merseyside gran was shocked after getting a fine for leaving her car at a Heron Foods store's car park overnight - despite saying she didn't overstay the two-hour limit.
Joyce Moorcroft said she and other Wirral residents have received fines from a firm called Civil Enforcement Ltd after being accused of leaving their cars for long spells at the site on Hoylake Road in Greasby .
In Ms Moorcroft's case, the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) demands a payment of up to £100, and says her car was parked there from March 25 at 11.53am until after 4pm on March 26 - meaning she would have been parked there for over 28 hours.
Saughall Massie resident Ms Moorcroft is adamant that could not be the case as she drove into work on March 25, and has colleagues as witnesses who can testify for her.
The grandmother-of-two said she received the PCN last week, adding: "I was shocked and upset. I thought 'I know I wasn't there for that long, but how can I prove it?'.
"I'm no spring chicken but I'm not ancient, and I do remember what happened on that day.
Residents livid after travellers set up camp at abandoned car park
"No one needs that sort of unnecessary stress and pressure, so some people will just pay it because they will think they cannot prove it wasn't them.
"It scares me that someone's going to have to pay that when they are completely innocent - particularly because £100 is a lot of money for a lot of people. I am concerned that some people may receive one and panic about it."
She said she thought the fine may have been issued due to there being three entrances to the car park, and a problem with different cameras not collating information correctly.
Driver hit pensioner in the street - then made off without handing over details
There is a maximum of two hours' free parking at the site, and Ms Moorcroft, 67, is a regular user and shopper at Heron Foods.
But she said: "I want them to stop issuing tickets in this manner when the time has not been overstayed.
How long does it take to get a parking fine in Liverpool?
"I will not be paying the fine and have sent them an email to confirm this."
She said she'd never had any kind of charge like this before, adding: "After speaking to friends and work colleagues, other people have received similar in the same car park."
Heron Foods was contacted for comment, as was Civil Enforcement Ltd.
Have had a car park fine from Heron Foods in Greasby which you consider to have been unfair? Contact Tom Houghton on 0151 472 2467 or email tom.houghton@reachplc.com
