A Professor has been slapped with a fine after failing to pay to park in a disabled bay during a visit to Spanish City, in Whitley Bay.
Philip Hodgson visited Trenchers restaurant with his 84-year-old stepmother, who suffers from Parkinson's, and his 87-year-old father, who has a degenerative eye disease. The 57-year-old used his stepmother's Blue Badge so he could park in a disabled bay in the car park next to the entrance.
Philip, who is a professor in Criminology, said he did not believe he needed to pay to use the disabled bay in the car park on June 3 as they are usually free. Two weeks after tucking into a meal at the fish and chip restaurant, he said he received a £60 parking fine from HX Car Park Management Ltd, which operates the car park. If he does not pay the fee, the parking ticket will increase to £120.
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Philip, who is also a Dean at Leeds Trinity University, said: "I think it's wrong. I think it's so unusual for a company to charge for disabled parking. Normally with disabled parking you get it for free. Do they not welcome people who are disabled or encourage disabled people to come?
"I rang Spanish City and they're not bothered at all. It's done through HX Parking. He said it's nothing to do with them. I just feel a bit disappointed. I think Spanish City has got this one wrong."
The car park at the front of Spanish City in Whitley Bay was previously free for everyone. HX Car Park Management LTD began managing the car park on March 15, after being granted by planning permission by North Tyneside Council. They said they installed clear signage and a pay and display machine, as well as the option to pay using RingGo.
The company said it is "very clear" to both previous and new users that terms and conditions apply. However Philip said signs at the site, which say there is no free parking, were not clearly visible.
He said that had he realised there was a charge he would have paid the required fee, which he believes would have been no more than £2. Philip said: "I wasn't trying to avoid paying, I just didn't know."
Philip, who lives in Sheffield, had been visiting dad and stepmother, who live in Monkseaton, when he received the parking fine earlier this month. He said that the couple had visited Spanish City before and had parked in the disabled bay without any issue.
Philip said: "They are Whitley Bay residents and have parked on site using their blue badge previously. The whole point I have been making to the guy at Spanish City is I don't want anybody else to fall foul of this. I won't go back, I think there's more friendly places."
A spokesperson for HX Car Park Management said: "There is a sign in front of the disabled bays to state that the tariff applies to blue badge holders. It also states in the “Blue Badge Rights and Responsibilities” leaflet issued by the government that blue badge holders are still required to check signage in all car parks, especially private ones, and should not assume that they can park for free. Our entry sign notifies all drivers that they are entering private land."
The company has urged those who do not want to pay for disabled bays to park in the nearly car park operated by North Tyneside Council. They said: "There is a council car park to the right of Spanish City Plaza that offers free parking for blue badge holders. If they do not wish to pay to park, which is understandable, they have the option to park there. It is not unusual for private car parks to charge for disabled drivers; most do."
Spanish City said the car park was granted by planning permission by the local authority. They said that signs are visible in the car park and throughout Spanish City.
A spokesperson said: "The car park at Spanish City is a private car park managed by HX Car Park Management Ltd, which uses an ANPR camera system to identify users of the car park and was installed in March 2022. In line with the planning permission that was granted by North Tyneside Council earlier this year, there is clear signage present throughout the car park (including a sign immediately in front of the disabled bays) stating the parking tariff applies to Blue Badge Holders.
"In addition to signage throughout the car park, signage has also been placed throughout Spanish City with the same information. The parking charge notice is £60 if paid within 28 days and increases to £100 thereafter."
A spokesperson from North Tyneside Council added: "HX Parking are responsible for the private parking lot at Spanish City. It is not within the Council's remit of planning to review the content of signage, the fees charged or how the system is used by HX Parking. Blue badge holders can find free disabled parking bays in the Council run parking lot to the right hand side upon entering Spanish City."
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