DRIVERS have voiced their anger after being hit with £70 fines for parking in the evening at a retail park.

Two readers have contacted us to say they were fined for parking more than two hours at Central Retail Park on an evening when Wrexham FC were playing.

There is a two-hour limit on parking at the park which is run by TPS Parking Solutions.

But residents say they do not understand why the limit should still apply when the shops are closed.

One football fan, who did not want to be named, said: “I was fined £70 for parking between 7.20pm and 9.52pm so I wasn’t that much over anyway.

“All the council car parks are free after 5pm so I thought it would be OK.

“I can understand not being able to park for longer in the day when the shops are open but not when the shops are shut.”

Another reader got in touch to say she was fined £70 was parking 39 minutes over the limit, again when Wrexham were playing at The Racecourse.

David Roberts said: “I felt I did not take a space from somebody who wanted to use any of the shops, as they were either closed or others would have been well closed before the two hour limit had expired.

“Myself and I am sure many, many people spend their well earned cash in the different retailers on site.

“Parking is for two hours only and no longer at any time for any reason – the least they could allow is parking when they are closed, or close the car park completely at close of business.”

Tito Ponzetta, office manager of TPS Parking Solutions, said the car park has been vandalised constantly and littered by drivers using the car park at night.

“It’s not there for football supporters,” he said.

“There is a car park for them to go to.

“We have had damaged windows, lights and signs overnight and litter is a problem.

“We have recently changed from a patrolled service to a camera system. This helps with tracking illegal vehicles.”

When asked about the possibility of closing off the car park at night, Mr Ponzetta said there would be a “cost” involved with a security worker needed to lock up the car park at night.

He added there was also the risk that cars would get stuck inside after the gates have shut.