A MAN who paid to park while he visited his doctor was shocked to return to a fine.

Peter Salisbury, 49, paid 20p for a short stay ticket at Griffiths Square car park in Mold, which covered him for three hours.

His appointment only lasted about five minutes but Mr Salisbury was asked to come back for a follow up appointment later that day.

In between the appointments Mr Salisbury returned home and returned to the same car park for his second appointment.

He returned within the three hours allocated by the first ticket but as this was due to expire  he decided to buy another short stay car park ticket for 20p. When Mr Salisbury returned to his car he was greeted by a parking fine for £20, or £10 if he paid within seven days.

“They are saying I should have bought an extended stay ticket for a stay longer than three hours,” he said. “But I’d gone home and bought a second ticket.”

A long stay ticket at the car park, for more than three hours, costs 50p, but Mr Salisbury purchased two short stay tickets for a total cost of 40p – which landed him with a £10 fine.

He said: “People are getting bullied into paying. It’s not fair when I’d gone to the trouble of buying a ticket. The price is very good in comparison to other places but this is nonsense, being fined when I’d bought a second ticket.”

Mr Salisbury, who has now paid the fine, added: “Of course I did not have the car parked there for three hours and had no reason to believe in having an extended stay ticket.

“I, like most motorists, abide by the law by purchasing a ticket on each visit to a car park and should not be treated in this way.”

A spokesman for Flintshire Council said: “Mr Salisbury was issued with an excess charge notice because he had contravened the parking regulations in place. To enable visitors/tourists to the area to read quickly and with ease, the pay and display machines display clear and concise instructions on use, fees payable and the conditions to be adhered to.

“All short stay areas have a return prohibited within 30 minutes from expiry of the ticket, unfortunately, Mr Salisbury did not adhere to this requirement.

“Short and long stay areas were included in the parking order to allow the short stay area to be used by visitors and shoppers ensuring all day parkers do not occupy the area to the detriment of local businesses’ trade, through avoiding commuters taking prime car parking places by feeding the ticket machine throughout the day.”