A private parking firm is taking a mum-of-two to court after she overstayed at a car park because she was having emergency treatment for a miscarriage.
Vehicle Control Services (VCS) issued 32-year-old Sharna Cooper a parking charge after she overstayed at the Leen Gate car park behind the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. The first has reportedly doubled down on the fine despite an appeal from Ms Cooper, reports the Daily Mail.
Ms Cooper attended the QMC after experiencing heavy bleeding. Medics decided to admit her to a ward and said she needed treatment after suffering a miscarriage.
She received the parking charge, which said she could have extended her time at the car park while in hospital. Her attempts to appeal were then refused.
VCS says it offered her the chance to pay a reduced fine. However, Ms Cooper missed the deadline because she was on holiday at the time.
Ms Cooper says she heard nothing for months, before debt collectors escalated the issue to the county court. Should she lose her case, she will face paying £255 including court costs.
Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, she said: “There was no physical way I could have gone to the car park and added time on and even if I had the app, my parking was the last thing on my mind after what I’d been through.
“I just don’t want anyone else to go through this situation, if somebody has lost a parent or been through anything like that, they shouldn’t be getting badgered about a parking ticket.”
A Google listing for the car park describes it as “a less stressful alternative to the challenge of parking at Nottingham’s QMC Hospital”.
In its letter to Ms Cooper, VCS said: “Motorists should ensure that they check the expiry time before leaving their vehicle parked, as it is their responsibility to ensure that they are able to return to their vehicle before the stated time, or else to purchase more time if thought necessary.
“We have noted your comments regarding the circumstances surrounding you and would like to offer our deepest sympathies to you at this time.”
VCS had not responded to the MailOnline about the latest in its disagreement with Ms Cooper. But in November the firm said: “Ms Cooper received a Parking Charge for failure to pay the tariff which she could have completed at the terminal or using the Pay by Phone service.
“Ms Cooper exercised her right to appeal and was offered a reduced settlement charge in light of her situation.
“This was not paid and as such the notice continued to debt recovery. Had the reduced charge been paid, there would have been no further action.”
VCS is part of the Excel Parking Services group, which reported pre-tax profits of £2million in the year ending April 2022. Boss Simon Renshaw-Smith, who also runs a clamping business called Captain Clampit, reportedly paid himself a salary of £348,388 in 2022.
