A SECOND motorist has come forward to say they have been charge £100 by the owners of Chippenham Railway Station’s car park when they did not park there.

Following a story in the Gazette in March after Tim Rombach was charged £100 for picking up his partner from the station, Emily Ward of Chippenham has said the same thing happened to her.

She said: “I picked up my kids and stepdad from Chippenham train station on February 3, went home for a few hours, and returned to the train station to drop my stepdad back off to get the train.

“I too am now facing a £100 fine as they have pictures of me arriving the first time and only leaving the second time.”

Mrs Ward complained to parking company APCOA over the fine but did not get any joy as they insisted, as they had with Mr Rombach, that she had not left the car park the first time but had parked illegally.

“I don’t understand how this can happen. Nobody tailgated me when I left as it had snowed so the camera should have seen me leave the first time,” she explained. “They asked me for evidence to show I had left earlier but I don’t have any dashcam to show me leaving.”

She said she was very cross as she feels sharp business practice is being employed, with APCOA offering no more evidence than two images from their cameras.

Mrs Ward also felt that APCOA should have another camera to show the whole car park so they can see if cars have then parked on arrival.

Signage at the station does not mention if there is a grace period for dropping off and picking up. Mr Robach said: “The grace period is not detailed on the car park signs because there is no requirement for it to be.

“Therefore users have no way of knowing when they are in breech of the terms and conditions of parking meaning that a parking fine may be issued to them. This is particularly the case if a train is late or delayed and you risk waiting for it without leaving the car park and returning later.”

Both motorists feel other people must be caught out by the parking company and feel powerless when they appealed as they say APCOA give no evidence or show a willingness to listen.

The carpark is leased by GWR to APCOA who are large international business based in Germany operating car parks in cities and airports.

APCOA said in a statement to the Gazette: “We are currently looking into a number of individual cases raised at Chippenham Railway Station. All our car parks (including ANPR monitored car parks) across the Great Western network offer a 20-minute grace period for the purpose of pick up and drop off. We also consider circumstances such as delays to trains arriving at the station to ensure motorists are treated fairly and proportionately.

“APCOA aims to deliver high quality parking to the public and is a British Parking Association approved operator, meaning we uphold a strict code of conduct and appeals process. for motorists”