Fuming driver is hit with £11,000 in fines from same car park because she fell foul of 'five-minute rule'

A motorist has been hit with an eye-watering £11,000 in fines from the same car park after falling foul of a bizarre five-minute rule.

Hannah Robinson, 21, regularly parked her BMW in the centre of Darlington, County Durham, while working at a nearby steak house.

She paid up to £8.50 a day to leave her car in the 650-space Feethams Leisure multi-storey facility.

But despite tickets proving she paid to leave her car, Ms Robinson has racked up a staggering £11,390 in 67 fines since 2021.

Excel Parking Services, which runs the car park, claims Ms Robinson repeatedly failed to buy a ticket inside the first five minutes of entering.

Ms Robinson, of Eaglescliffe, County Durham, claims poor internet service inside the car park often meant she took longer than five minutes to pay.

She said: 'It's ridiculous. I paid for it. I've been trying for the full five minutes. They just don't care.

'I've done absolutely everything I can to get in touch with Excel but they don't respond.

'The ticket machines are often broken so I pay online but the internet coverage is terrible so if often takes longer to access the app.

'All this just to park my car to come to work.'

Ms Robinson was stunned when she received the hefty bill last month claiming she owed fines dating back to March 2021.

She added: 'I knew about the five-minute rule and knew I sometimes couldn't pay within it, however I've shown proof of the app not working and cash machines nine out of ten times not working.

'I've tried and practically begged to speak to someone about this as I knew I was going get fined but I've just been ignored.

'I have sent tonnes of emails but then I got a letter adding them all up from 2021 for the times I couldn't pay within five minutes and billed me.

'It is 3G in that car park and I feel sorry for people with babies or disabilities who can't pay in five minutes. It's a joke.'

Ms Robinson has so far refused to pay the fines and has been issued with court dates for two parking fines from last July 2023.

She is still waiting to speak to the company about the 2021 fines and has enlisted her local MP to help.

Darlington MP Lola McEvoy has slammed the firm and is demanding a representative comes to Parliament to explain their actions.

Ms McEvoy said: 'I've written to Excel Parking and told them I want them to come to Parliament and meet with me and tell me to my face why they think it's acceptable to treat people like this.'

The car park introduced a 'five-minute' window to crack down on cheeky drivers dropping people off inside the car park without paying.

Excel Parking Services is standing by the fines and defended the 'five-minute' time limit.

A spokesperson said: 'Unfortunately a large percentage of motorists do not pay.

'They simply sit in their vehicles for a prolonged period of time waiting to pick people up from the hotel, cinema, and restaurants.

'That causes a loss of revenue and maintenance problems, and that's why the five-minute time period has been introduced.'