The Heartbreaking Errand That Led to Months of Stress
Matt Browne from Willenhall, West Midlands, found himself embroiled in what he describes as a "horrific" legal battle with a private parking company after what should have been a simple act of kindness for his terminally ill father.
The 50-year-old gas engineer had driven to Walsall in February last year to buy slippers for his father, whose feet had swollen due to bone cancer. Matt parked at the Waterfront Car Park and attempted to purchase a ticket through the mobile app, but when it failed to load, he resorted to using the physical payment machine.
"When I first had this parking ticket, I was looking after my dad," Matt told Metro. "He had terminal cancer and that was the reason why I went down to the town in the first place to buy him some slippers."
The Faulty Machine That Sparked a Legal Battle
Matt paid the required £1.50 for parking, but the machine printed a ticket with only the first letter of his registration plate visible. Due to his concern for his father's deteriorating health, he didn't notice the printing error at the time.
Despite having proof of payment, Matt received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) for £100 from Euro Car Parks, the private operator managing the car park. He immediately appealed, explaining his personal circumstances and hoping "common sense would prevail."
"This has been horrific," Matt said. "I was going through a lot with my dad, he had bone cancer, it was awful, and this was adding to the stress. I did explain this to them in my appeal... but they are ruthless."
A Growing Pattern of Similar Complaints
Matt's experience isn't isolated. Ben Romney and his family faced a nearly identical situation after visiting Lullingstone Country Park in Kent in July 2024.
After paying at the machine, they received a ticket displaying only four digits of their registration. Weeks later, they received a PCN accusing them of a "major keying error." Euro Car Parks rejected their appeal but offered to settle for a £20 administration fee.
Council data obtained by Kent Online reveals that keying errors accounted for 17% of fines issued between January 2024 and January 2025 at the beauty spot car park, totalling 295 penalties.
Ben described the situation as "ridiculous," noting that "many others have had the same issue with the faulty machine." He accused the company of using "appalling" tactics, including debt collector letters with intimidating slogans like "can't pay we'll take it away."
Council Responses and Ongoing Battles
Walsall Council confirmed that the Waterfront Car Park is privately owned and managed by Euro Car Parks, meaning the council has no jurisdiction over enforcement at the site.
However, a spokesperson stated: "The council has noted the circumstances and will monitor for any wider patterns of concern. If there is evidence of unfair trading practices, such as persistent machine faults or misleading signage, we may investigate through our Trading Standards team."
Kent County Council maintained that they've had "no ongoing faults with any keypads on the machines" at their country park car parks, which are checked twice daily. They suggested that customers who make errors should contact park officers immediately.
The Human Cost of Parking Disputes
For Matt Browne, the battle has taken an enormous personal toll. His father passed away last year, but Matt continues to fight the parking charge.
"I've taken days off work – and I'm self-employed – to speak to my councillors, my local MP and I've spent hours upon hours on the phone," he explained. "It has cost me time and all this is for a £1.50 parking charge which I've paid for."
Another motorist, Sri Dayalan from Tonbridge, Kent, said his prolonged dispute with Euro Car Parks has put him off visiting Lullingstone Country Park again after receiving a PCN in August under similar circumstances.
"It is absolutely unfair. It is stressful and has taken time out of my day," Sri said. "I don't want this to happen to anyone else."
Despite the option to pay reduced administration fees to end their disputes, all three motorists have chosen to continue fighting, arguing that paying any amount would be admitting fault for errors they believe were caused by faulty machinery.
Matt Browne remains determined: "I've dug my heels with this one, because I'm not in the wrong. I will not back down."
