Wicksteed Park 'sorry' after visitors wrongly given parking fines

Wicksteed Park has apologised and promised to revoke parking fines after a number of visitors were wrongly hit with a penalty charge.

Since the much-loved Kettering park re-opened earlier this year a new ANPR parking system has been in place without barriers, which is run by private firm Parking Eye after the operation was outsourced.

Visitors now have to enter their registration to pay for their stay before leaving the car park, with charges of £3 (up to two hours), £4 (up to three hours) and £6 (up to 24 hours).

But in recent weeks many people who visited the park off Barton Road and correctly paid have reported receiving a fine in the post.

This morning a park spokesman confirmed they would be revoking fines which were incorrectly sent out and apologised for causing worry.

They said: "It has come to our attention that our parking system providers have issued fines in error, which has meant some customers who have paid for their parking have received fines.

"Anyone who has received a fine between May 29 and June 6, please don't worry.

"We have arranged for every one of these fines to be revoked. You will receive confirmation of this shortly.

"We are sorry for any worry this may have caused, but please be assured that the fines from the above dates have now been revoked and will not need to be paid."

Many park users took to social media to complain about wrongly being given a fine.

One regular said: "Received a £70 fine through the post this morning, stating I had not payed (sic) for parking on a visit earlier this month.

"By good fortune we still had the ticket (how lucky is that) and our bank account shows the £3 was taken. Now all the hassle of sending an appeal to the company."

Another said: "It is stopping me wanting to go to the park. I have an annual pass and still got a fine (not during this period but at the beginning of May)."

And another said they would be appealing their £70 fine after paying in cash and not keeping their ticket.