Bloody parking fees! We overstayed the time. What will happen if we get fined?

[snakesandbastards]

Friend and I took her disabled son to a big park exhibition yesterday at a country house estate. Friend has a big wheelchair adapted van. No disabled spaces near the stately home part so we parked a long way off but still had to pay £5 for 2 hours. Not wheelchair or buggy (we had both) friendly so it took ages on rough paths to get to the exhibition and we needed a cold (£2 a can!) drink when we got there. By the time we got back it was 2 1/2 hours and there was number plate recognition as we left.

We are expecting a fine

What is our legal position? We were told in Norfolk on holiday that disabled drivers get 1/2 grace there and it certainly takes that time just to get the wheelchair etc out and set up.

I am trying to phone the park owners to see what they say but not answering.

Should we let them take us to court if we get fined?

1/2 an hour grace in sunny Norfolk that is!

why don't you just wait and see what happens first? You might never hear anything and then you have wasted a lot of emotional effort and actual time.

That's just it. It's really stressing my DF out not knowing if she will hear. I would obviously pay half. I just wanted to find out what the position is with private car parks like this as I think it was rubbish not to have adequate disabled parking and allowing for all the loading and unloading.

We don't want to wait a month stressing over this. I will keep trying to get through to them.

Parking used to be free. It's a huge parkland so getting around the who,e place anyway would take longer than 2 hours. Next price up was £8 for all day.

Sometimes you have up to 48 hours afterwards to make a payment. Could you find that out?

Don't bother calling the attraction as they contract out parking. Why is your friend stressing before it has happened? Is she particularly anxious?
If you get a ticket then simply appeal, stating what you put here about disabled access etc and include a copy of your receipts for the entrance. I'm 99% sure it will be written off and if not, then you can choose to ignore and risk going t court (unlikely) or pay.

Thank you. We did contact the attraction and they have 24 hours where it is still in their hands. They wrote off any additional payment and it's all sorted. DF not especially anxious but with a disabled child, equipment, schooling, a recent operation and a toddler who doesn't sleep, she doesn't need the worry of a £50 fine hanging over her.

Me...I am not stressed and would take it all the way to court if needed!

I'm glad you got it sorted OP.

Me too. They were very reasonable thank goodness

I'm glad it was sorted out, but I think there is a separate issue to be raised with them about the failure to provide disabled parking facilities which was probably unlawful.