Man racks up £2,000 in car parking fines

HE'S ONE OF DOZENS ‘CAUGHT OUT' BY PARKING AT CITY GYM

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

DOZENS of people racked up huge parking fines at a Plymouth gym without knowing they were going to be charged.

Users of the PureGym in Alexandra Road were fined when they parked but didn't register their vehicles, not realising cameras had been activated. One man said his fines total more than £2,000.

Many of the motorists have appealed against their fines with PureGym and Smart Parking, which issued the fines, but several said the issue has dragged on for months. Some even received letters from debt collection firms.

So many people were affected that a Facebook group has been set up so they can discuss the issue. It has at least 35 members.

Many are saying they were reassured by PureGym that the fines would be cancelled and some have submitted correspondence from Smart Parking to say its appeals team is looking into their claims.

PureGym told The Herald's sister website PlymouthLive it couldn't revoke the fines but was in talks with Smart Parking in a bid to resolve the matter. Smart Parking asked PlymouthLive to send it details, including car registration numbers, of people who were affected so it could investigate. PlymouthLive was not willing to supply people's personal information and understands many motorists who were fined have already sent their details to Smart Parking.

Among those fined was Sam Meads, whose tickets amounted to more than £2,000. He received his first fine in January after having used the gym 17 times in December.

He said: "Smart Parking are chasing me for all 17 fines at £170 each. Mine add up to way over £2,000 and there are hundreds affected in Plymouth. Basically they turned the parking cameras on over the Christmas break, then sent fines out but with a lengthy delay. Meaning by the time you realised... in my case, I got 17 consecutive fines."