Car park operator slashes ‘fraud charge’ of £1,906

A car park operator has had his £1,906 court claim thrown out against a woman who took more than five minutes to pay for parking.

Rosie Hudson was among countless people taken to court by Excel Parking five minute payment rule – In which drivers are sent Parking Charge Notice (PCN) if they do not pay within that time.

But after publicity about the case – and one MP describing the PCN “Allegation of robbery in five minutes” – The claim against Miss Hudson has been dismissed.

The BBC contacted Excel Parking and asked why the case was dropped, but it did not respond.

Miss Hudson, who is 31 and lives in Leicestershire, said she felt “very relieved”.

“I basically won without going to court, which is incredible, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” she said.

“I wouldn’t mind thinking that I don’t want to pick up the post this morning because I’m worried it’s another PCN fine or another debt collector letter.”

However, Miss Hudson said she wanted to “keep fighting for other people who are going through the same thing”.

Since BBC Reported on Miss Hudson’s caseWe have been contacted by several other people who have been threatened with legal action for the same reason.

These included Gary Kay, who parked in the same car park as Miss Hudson – Copeland Street car park in Derby.

excel parking Demanded £255 from Mr KBut he learned that the case had been closed shortly before he was to defend himself in court.

Mr K had received only one PCN from Excel Parking while Ms Hudson had received 10.

He paid first but when he received more through post he decided to challenge the car park operator.

Neither Mr Kay nor Ms Hudson have received any explanation from Excel Parking as to why their cases were closed.

Miss Hudson encouraged other people to challenge their PCN, as she and Mr Kay had done.

“Even if you get letters warning you about debt collection and taking you to court, I will stand firm,” she said.

“I would advise taking legal advice and standing firm. Don’t give in to car parkers.”

DCB Legal, which represents Excel Parking, has donated £60 to the Teenage Cancer Trust at Miss Hudson’s request in lieu of the first PCN she paid.

Miss Hudson has also made a donation in exchange for free legal advice she received from a lawyer who contacted her after the campaign.

He said the donation meant a lot to him.

She said, “I lost my father to cancer a few years ago and it was unbearable, but I can’t even imagine knowing that the younger generation is going through such terrible diseases.”

Although Ms Hudson won her case, she said it had caused her a huge amount of stress over the past 21 months.

“I struggle with being anxious and worried about things every day,” she said.

“That just escalated it, so it made me feel 10 times worse. It’s the fear of waking up in the morning and seeing another letter.”

“It’s not good for you, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone and I certainly hope the rules change so it doesn’t happen again.”

Miss Hudson would eventually like the five-minute payment rule to be “scrapped” and stricter rules for private car park operators to be put in place, and she hopes to meet with Derby North Labor MP Catherine Atkinson, who raised the issue in the House of Commons. I had raised the matter.

But in the meantime, Miss Hudson feels she can finally carry on with her life as normal.

“I can use that money towards a deposit on a house I’m considering buying with my partner,” she said.

“We’re getting married in February next year, so I guess that money will go toward our future.”