Grantham taxi driver refuses to pay £100 fine after making multiple trips to Morrisons

A taxi driver has expressed his frustration after receiving a parking fine for spending too long in a supermarket car park, despite making multiple trips.

Marcin Bugala has been a taxi driver for 12 years in Grantham and says he makes multiple trips to Morrisons car park each day, sometimes up to 30 in a week, to collect or drop off customers.

On Tuesday, December 14, 2021, a camera caught Mr Bugala arriving and leaving 247 minutes apart, which led to a fine of £100 being issued, despite the time of entry and exit being from different trips to the Grantham supermarket. The maximum stay allowed is two hours.

Mr Bugala said: "No I'm not going to pay it, I'm not going to pay for something which physically didn't happen.

"I tried to appeal once and then the second time, and they said there was a delay and it was too late for that."

Despite making multiple trips to the supermarket most days, Mr Bugala has never had an issue like this before, but says his colleagues have experienced similar situations at different locations before.

Mr Bugala added: "It's quite strange because on that day I had to go to Morrisons and back four times, in the morning the camera caught me, but it didn't catch me on the way back, and in the afternoon it only caught me on the way back not on the way in.

"But 20 minutes before I was in a different place, and obviously I can prove that as I have all the evidence with the GPS System but if that happened to a normal person who forgot to buy something and then went again, it could happen to them as well, and obviously they won't have the proof that they haven't been there for that long a time.

"I'm probably going to end up in court with them because I'm not going to pay for it, and then I don't want to waste my time to appeal again."

In a letter to Mr Bugala, Excel Parking Services Ltd says it has rejected his appeal. The letter says that signs at the car park make it clear the maximum time allowed and they are easily seen.

Excel added: "Our letter dated 13/01/22 requested you to supply evidence of your vehicle being elsewhere between the contravention times stated, on the date in question and advised that proof was to be supplied by 27/01/2022. To date you have failed to provide sufficient evidence showing that your vehicle was elsewhere on the day in question, therefore we will continue to pursue this charge."

What do you think? Should Mr Bugala have his fine cancelled? Send your comments to comment@granthamjournal.co.uk