An Ivybridge man is warning motorists to beware of rip-off parking fines after he was threatened with a penalty charge for overstaying by just 30 seconds.

David Rowell drove into the Keaton Road car park in Ivybridge on Wednesday, January 27 at 2.50pm and nine seconds, and out at 3.50pm and 39 seconds.

14 days later, he received a ‘rather threatening’ letter from private car park operator Premier Parking Solutions saying that as he had overstayed, he must pay: £60 if he coughed up within 14 days of the date of the letter, £100 if not.

But David smelt a rat, and, as he still had the parking ticket from the day, was able to confirm that the expiry time was 3.50pm.

He wrote back to PPS with the reference number of his ticket, and told the company that if they required a photo of it, he would apply a fee.

He also contacted the Gazette, and following the paper’s enquiries, and David’s letter appealing the charge, PPS agreed to write it off.

David said: ‘Luckily we still had the ticket from that day but I would guess 99 per cent of people would have thrown it away, and for this reason I feel that people need to be aware of what they are doing. This is a private car park and to be using seconds as a way to extort £100 – or £60 if you don’t have the nerve to challenge them - out of people is bad.’

David also observed that photos of his vehicle entering and leaving the car park, included in the letter as evidence, are not marked with the time or date. He also felt that penalty charge notices should be issued at the time of the parking infringement, not weeks later.

Read more in the Ivybridge & South Brent Gazette