Driver now WON'T have to pay £252 hospital car park charge after 'years of hell'

A driver who stood his ground against a £2.70 that escalated to £252 has encouraged others to challenge after the car park company dropped the fees. Nearly three years ago, Gordon Clark and his wife Jennifer popped into QE Hospital in Gateshead to visit a friend with a broken leg.

They were there for an hour and thirteen minutes but when they left at 7.22pm, Gordon claims the machine showed "no payment required". Yet, he got slapped with a £40 penalty notice weeks later, kicking off a drawn-out and taxing tussle with ParkingEye, the firm running the hospital car park.

Despite ParkingEye's claims that their tech was spot-on that day, August 12, 2022, they've now binned the charge "as a gesture of goodwill" following Gordon's interview with .

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The 71 year-old Medburn local, a retired construction consultant, expressed his relief: "After two-and-a-half years of stress now they decided to wipe it. That is a brilliant result from ChronicleLive and I really, really, really appreciate it. I am over the moon about it."

However, Gordon believes others might be forced to pay the fine out of a fear of spiralling costs, saying: "They tried to scare me with threats and bailiffs and all of the rest of it. I know quite a few people who said they could not be bothered and would have just paid the fine."

Gordon was resolute in his refusal to pay the charges from the beginning. He said: "It has been hell. I have been up in the middle of the night drafting notes and answers to reply to them. It caused quite a few sleepless nights. It is a distraction from getting on with others that are more of a priority in your life."

ParkingEye has been working with the QE Hospital in Gateshead since 2022. A representative said: "During this time there has been investment in modern consumer-facing ANPR systems which has enhanced accessibility and made parking at the hospital easier and safer for staff, patients and visitors.

"The system is designed to ensure the efficiency and smooth operation of the hospital car park. QE Hospital car park in Gateshead features 25 prominent and highly-visible signs that provide information on how to use the car park responsibly.

"Parking on the site is free up to 15 minutes and tariffs apply thereafter, which the motorist needs to pay before leaving the car park. The motorist in question stayed at the car park for 1h and 13 minutes, overstaying the free period and not making a payment for their stay, which resulted in him receiving a parking charge.

"On the day of the event, our data shows that the system and various payment methods were operating effectively and that the car park was used successfully by hundreds of motorists. However, we have cancelled the PCN as a gesture of goodwill and will write to the motorist to advise."