I've been fined for overstaying at a motorway services - must I pay?

Myself and a colleague today received parking charge notices for exceeding a two hour limit at a motorway service station. We feel disgruntled on several fronts; we were paying for food and refreshments, the car park is huge and there were dozens of empty spaces, and the DVLA, a government agency, provided our personal details to a company they presumably know nothing about! My immediate response is that I won't pay. What would you suggest? How likely is a company like this to be successful in pursuing payment?

Asked on 15 July 2010 by anthonyboulton43

Answered by Honest John
Apologise for your "minor breach of contract in overstaying your allotted time" and enclose a cheque for £5 "in reasonable full and final settlement". It will then be up to Moto's parking enforcers to take you to court, stand up in front of a magistrate and insist that whatever they are attempting to hit you with is reasonable. It isn't, so they won't.
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