Retiree fined £100 after standing in car wash queue for 30 minutes

A pensioner was given a £100 parking fine – after getting stuck in a car wash queue.

Colleen Russell, 69, was given the parking ticket despite never leaving her vehicle during her visit.

The retiree drove to the Sutton Court service station to use the car wash, but stood in line for 30 minutes on her arrival on June 25.

She said the parking lot owners have cameras monitoring the forecourt and fining anyone left without a ticket for more than 30 minutes.

But the technology doesn’t take into account cars that use the car wash on busy days.

A week after her visit, Colleen received a £100 parking fine from Euro Car Parks in the mail.

Colleen, a retired carer from Sutton, Surrey, said: ‘I’ve been going there for over 10 years and this has never happened before.

“I didn’t go in for gas, and I didn’t go in to park — I was just queuing for the car wash.”

“There were four cars in line, so I had to wait my turn to use the facility.

“I’d like to know if those cars have been fined as much as they were standing in line like me.

“I just think it’s so unfair, especially since I’m retired.”

Colleen has appealed the decision.