Trishd

Thanks so much for your comments, I appreciate your concern. They have been a nightmare. My situation was that I spent almost one and a half hours with my daughter in the Berkeley Precinct shops including Tesco, Boots, Costa and the charity shop. I then went around the corner to the St Lukes shop which is off the precinct to take in donations as I am a volunteer for Weston Park Hospital, I decided to make a purchase in the shop but the young lady on the till had a disability and she struggled to put my payment through, I realised I was going to run late back to my car so I sent my daughter back to explain to anyone working for the car park but of course its all cameras. It took about 15 minutes to make my payment and get my card out of the reader so I was late to my car about 17 minutes. Not the girls fault at all, she was a lovely lass volunteering in the shop and these things happen. The manageress gave me a document in writing to support my appeal. Instead of actually listening to me and looking at the facts Excel sent me threatening letters for months and took me to court, or at least tried to but I had to make a decision to pay in instalments or go to court and pay up. Citizens advice told me that 'they had me over a barrel because I had gone off the precinct during the two hours'. I didn't realise that you couldn't actually go onto Eccy Road, even to a charity shop. I have had to pay £210, I am absolutely gutted. I am paying in instalments, I could have given that money to the teen cancer ward at the hospital, I feel so upset. Where does the money go to? What do they do with these astronomical fines? I have contacted The Sheffield Star to voice my opinions about this. If anyone would like to get a petition going and join me please let me know.

I was sent an invoice at the beginning of last year to pay £100 as I was 15 minutes late back to my car. As I had a genuine reason that was not my fault they denied my appeal. I decided to carry on as I felt it was unjust and I got an invoice for £160! Now they are taking me to court the hearing is in May. They are ruthless and have no concern for anyone. They don't care if your reason is genuine. I have battled this for months and I have been told by the Citizens Advice and my local councillor to pay up as they will win they seem to have the courts on their side. So I seem to have no choice now as I have other stressful personal issues to deal with the thought of a court hearing is not very nice and if I lose which I have been told I will then it will go on any future job applications and credit I may apply for. They will take you to court so my advice is pay it in instalments or if you can just pay it off and forget it as its too stressful to drag it on.