Excel Parking: Sheffield man handed £255 fine after stopping to read sign at East Midlands Airport

A Sheffield pensioner was hit with a £255 charge when he stopped to read a sign at an airport.

Andy Smith entered the drop-off zone at East Midlands Airport with a pal who was checking in luggage. He then took his pal’s wife to a nearby hotel and stopped for less than a minute to read a sign on the way.

Weeks later Andy he received a Parking Charge Notice stating he was being fined £100 for stopping on a red line. This later increased to £255 as he tried to appeal before taking the matter to court. 

However, East Midlands Airport has now stepped in and cancelled the demand, which was issued by Vehicle Control Services, part of Excel Parking in Sheffield.

Andy said: "I was absolutely staggered that I should be charged for stopping to read the hotel’s notice. It’s outrageous. We have the receipt to show we paid the drop-off fee and a letter from the hotel confirming the booking.”

Now he feels "relieved" the airport has decided to cancel the fine..

An East Midlands Airport spokesperson, said: “Having reviewed the footage of Mr Smith’s vehicle movements, we have instructed Vehicle Control Services, which enforces no waiting on red-routed airport estate roads, to cancel the fine. We apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused him.

“Controlling traffic flow across a busy airport site is key to keeping visitors safe. For this reason, airport estate roads are red-routed and “no stopping” signage is clearly visible to discourage drivers from waiting in undesignated parking areas when dropping off and collecting passengers.