Driving instructor hit with £60 fine after using empty car park so a learner could practice reversing into bays

A DRIVING instructor was slapped with a £60 fine after using a car park for five minutes so a learner could practice manoeuvres.

Mark Fitzsimons, 51, got his pupil to perform two bay parks at the end of a lesson.

A few weeks later he got a letter in the post with a £60 penalty because the car was seen stopped in the bay without a ticket.

He slammed the "ridiculous" and "absurd" punishment by private parking company London Parking Solutions.

Mark said: "I'm completely disgusted.

"I thought it was a joke at first. We were in there probably five, at a stretch six minutes."

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With five minutes left of the lesson, Mark decided to use the time to practise bay parking with his student in the almost empty car park near The Princess Alice pub in Thamesmead, South East London, on March 31.

He claims the student reversed into the bay twice, opened the driver's door to check the car was within the white lines, and drove off.

In his 17 years as a driving instructor in Thamesmead, it's the first time he has ever been fined for using a car park to practise manoeuvres.

He even claims he has used the same car park in the past without any issues.

Mark, of nearby Plumstead, said: "We went in and out of the bay twice.

"I didn't think any more about it until I got the letter through saying you owe us 60 quid for doing that."

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The fine was accompanied by CCTV images of Mr Fitzsimon's car which show he was only in the car park for a total of five minutes.

Attached to lampposts in the car park were signs warning "No stopping, no waiting", except for vehicles with a valid permit or pay and display ticket.

But Mark suggested it would have taken him five minutes - the same amount of time as two bay parks - to get out of the car and read the sign.

He said the car park was virtually empty at the time with only two other parked vehicles.

But despite his explanation to the parking firm Mark was unsuccessful in his attempt to appeal the fine, which has since risen to £100.

In his appeal he said the car was being used to practise reverse parking, was not left parked and was "therefore not either stopping or waiting".

He assumed the company would realise what happened, that neither occupant got out of the car, they were there no longer than six minutes, and the fine "couldn't
go any further".

Mark added: "I thought they'd throw it out straight away on appeal."

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