Man forced to pay £100 parking fine after exceeding time limit - due to car tyres bursting

David, aged 35, from Stoke-on-Trent was forced to pay what he calls an “unjust” and “unreasonable” £100 parking fine after exceeding the time limit due to an emergency.

David told the Express & Star that he and his family were on the way to Birmingham Airport on Boxing Day last year when both front tyres of the car suddenly burst giving him no option but to pull into a nearby petrol station.

David said: “At the time, I had a disabled passenger and a two-year-old child with me.

“Given the circumstances and the freezing weather conditions, I had no option but to pull into EG Stone Services to ensure our safety.”

Immediately after parking, David contacted an emergency tyre repair service, who arrived within approximately an hour.

During this time, due to the extremely cold weather, Mr Cooper and his family we went inside the petrol station to keep warm and purchased food and drinks.

David said he spoke directly with a staff member regarding the parking time limits and explained his situation.

David told the Express & Star: “I was reassured that, should I receive a parking charge, I should simply explain the circumstances to the company.

“Once the tyres were replaced, we continued our journey to Birmingham Airport. However, a few weeks later, I received a £100 parking fine from VARS Technology Ltd for exceeding the permitted parking time by approximately 25 minutes.

“I formally appealed the charge, clearly outlining the emergency situation, but my appeal was rejected. I then escalated the matter to POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals), providing full details and evidence, yet this too was unsuccessful.”

He added: “I find it unreasonable and unjust that, despite my car being unbelievable and the situation involving vulnerable passengers in severe weather conditions, no discretion or compassion has been applied.

“This raises serious concerns about how such parking enforcement systems operate and whether they fairly account for genuine emergencies.”

The Express & Star has requested a comment from VARS Technology Ltd on the matter but has not yet received a statement from the firm.

David says he hopes that through sharing his experience it will “potentially prevent others from being treated in a similar manner.”