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Should I pay a parking charge issued after I left my car at a motorway services to watch football?

I was recently on my way home from work and got stuck in bad traffic for a large part of my journey. That night I was going to watch a football match with my sister's boyfriend. As a result of the traffic I met him at a service station (Birch Services, M62) and left my car there and we went in his, as I wouldn't have had time to get all the way home and then get to the football. I have today received a parking ticket of £50 for leaving my car at the services. How would you recommend I tackle this?

Asked on 15 September 2011 by RS, Todmorden

Answered by Honest John
Pay up. Most motorway services now charge for stays of more than two hours. I think it is unreasonable to charge drivers if they overstay by an hour or so and are using the service station facilities, or have fallen asleep ("Tiredness kills. Take a break"). But you deliberately used this service area to park in while you went to a football match. That is not its purpose. So I think you should pay the penalty.
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