Sindie Wesley

A MOTHER-of-one has told of her shock at getting a parking fine - even though she had the correct ticket.

Ipswich-based Sindie Wesley works as a brand engagement executive with the publishing firm Archant, publishers of the East Anglian Daily Times.

She visits Bury St Edmunds once a week and on a recent visit stopped at the Parkway car park.

Running a little late, Miss Wesley paid the £2 as normal for a ticket, placed it in her car and went to work.

But when she returned she discovered she had been fined £30. It was only later she learned the £2 charge had risen to £2.20 just days before - but there were no warning signs.

“I did what I would normally do very quickly, put £2 in the machine, displayed my ticket and went off,” she explained. “When I got back to my car I had a parking fine. I went to the office as I was confused as to why I had a fine.”

She said the staff member she spoke to was “extremely rude” and “very unhelpful” adding she was told to “go away and just read the ticket”.

“I did eventually get out of him that the price for over four hours had increased,” she said. “I work with the public and if I ever spoke to a member of the public the way he spoke to me I would have been sacked. It is totally unacceptable.

“There are no signs in this car park to say the prices have gone up and yes, I should have looked at the ticket more closely, but for the sake of 20p I think the fine is totally unfair.

“I am not the sort of person who tries to get out of paying to park and I am really offended that I was treated as I was.”

She has lodged a complaint with the council about both the fine and the way she claims she was dealt with.

A council spokeswoman said: “We are sorry that this lady has been disappointed.

“We try and ensure the highest levels of customer service and we will investigate through the formal complaints procedure.”