How you can now save £5 while using Gatwick airport’s car park thanks to The Sun

AIRPORT parking has never been plane-sailing.

And if you have driven through a chargeable zone after missing an exit or turn then you will be familiar with this financial sting.

Leaving Gatwick’s long-stay car park has frequently caused confusion for drivers due to the very small exit sign that can be easily overlooked.

Until recently, Gatwick Parking slapped any driver with a £5 fine when passing through the red zone due to automatic cameras that clock each registration plate, regardless of whether the vehicle stops.

Motorists were warned that if they accidentally drove through the drop-off zone, they had only one minute to avoid the charge, which leaves very little allowance for traffic and navigation.

Sun writer Graham Wray, who entered the red zone for only one minute and 16 seconds felt bewildered when he was hit with a charge recently.

He said: “I was livid because even Lewis Hamilton would find it impossible to drive through in under a minute! I drove at the speed limit, didn’t stop and still got charged.”

But when he complained to NCP, which runs Gatwick’s car parks, he was told the charge would be waived as the non-chargeable grace ­period is actually one minute 30 seconds.

That is despite two NCP call-centre workers and its own website stating drivers must drive through in less than one minute to avoid the charge.

A spokesperson for NCP said: “Staff members will now be retrained and told to check facts before informing customers.

“We apologise that the information provided was not accurate.”

Thanks to The Sun, NCP has now amended the wording on the website, allowing for additional time when drivers make a mistake at Gatwick airport.

Graham said: “If I hadn’t phoned to check I would have received a £100 penalty fine for not paying the charge I otherwise had no idea I’d incurred.

“I’m glad they’ve corrected their timings so drivers who make an honest mistake won’t face further fines.

“But this has been going on for two years since the £5 charge was introduced.

“How many other drivers have been caught out like me and paid a charge and fine they didn’t need to?”