Furious drivers have hit back at a parking firm issuing ‘unfair’ fines outside their carpark.

Motorists were left confused after being slapped with £100 fines when they unsuspectingly parked on a road next to Home Bargains in Stanley, County Durham.

The Echo understands the road, Thorneyholme Terrace, is private land owned by Home Bargains and managed by parking firm Parking Eye. However, there is currently no signage or road markings to explain the same parking restrictions apply as in the car park.

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Six drivers who have all been hit with parking charge notices (PCNs) between February 2022 and the same month this year told The Echo the parking firm was operating ‘unfairly’ and called for proper signage to prevent others falling foul of the unclear rules.

The Northern Echo: All six drivers who spoke to the Echo had parked on Thorneyholme Terrace opposite the Home Bargains Carpark (left of picture) where there is no clear signage or road markings.All six drivers who spoke to the Echo had parked on Thorneyholme Terrace opposite the Home Bargains Carpark (left of picture) where there is no clear signage or road markings. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

Home Bargains has now admitted current signage is “insufficient” and apologised to customers.

Paul Herdman, a self-employed businessman from Consett, received a PCN after his wife Anna parked up on the road for more than three-and-a-half-hours on February 2.

“My wife parked on the side road and we got a fine even though she hadn’t been in the car park or Home Bargains,” Paul said.

“We went back to get a picture of exactly where she’d parked the car and met another lady who told us not to park there as she’d been fined too!”

The Northern Echo: (L-R) Donna Regan, Isabella Lodge, Bill Burgess and Paul Herdman at Thorneyholme Terrace in Stanley.(L-R) Donna Regan, Isabella Lodge, Bill Burgess and Paul Herdman at Thorneyholme Terrace in Stanley. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

Donna Regan, who Paul and Anna bumped into was fined in February 2022 when she parked up while attending a school church service nearby.

Donna, 38, a stay-at-home mum said: “There’s nothing on that side of the road to say you cannot park there.

“It’s totally unfair. If I’d been in the car park fair enough, but I parked there because I knew I’d be more than an hour and a half and I’d get a fine in the car park itself.

“It’s a year since I had my ticket and there’s still no signs up.”

The Northern Echo: The car park itself is subject to a 90-minute maximum stay. But signage is not positioned along the opposite side of Thorneyholme Terrace.The car park itself is subject to a 90-minute maximum stay. But signage is not positioned along the opposite side of Thorneyholme Terrace. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

Donna appealed to independent appeals service Popla who overturned her fine, saying: “Having reviewed the photographic evidence of the signage at the site, [we] do not consider the area in which the appellant had sufficient signage.”

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Meanwhile Isabella Lodge, a 59-year-old prison service worker from Chopwell, and Tia Murdy, a 35-year-old carer are both currently fighting fines against the firm for parking spells in January 2023 and December last year.

The situation came to light after the Echo reported on a Home Bargains shopper received a £100 fine for outstaying the car park’s 90-minute time restrictions despite spending £317 in store.

The Northern Echo: Home Bargains in Stanley.Home Bargains in Stanley. (Image: STUART BOULTON)

After being contacted by The Northern Echo Home Bargains and Parking Eye have apologised and vowed to install new signage and offered refunds to anyone affected.

A spokesperson for Home Bargains said: “Home Bargains acknowledges that the current signage at the side road of Thorneyholme Terrace, adjacent to our Stanley car park, has been insufficient. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused our customers.

“We are installing new signage in the coming weeks to clarify the parking restrictions in place.

The Northern Echo: Home Bargains has admitted there is insufficient signage down Thorneyholme TerraceHome Bargains has admitted there is insufficient signage down Thorneyholme Terrace (Image: STUART BOULTON)

“If you received a penalty notice from Parking Eye while parking in Thorneyholme Terrace, please contact our customer service desk at https://www.homebargains.co.uk/contactselect.aspx for a refund. We will work with Parking Eye to ensure any refunds are processed quickly.

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“We value our customers and are committed to improving the parking facilities around our Stanley store to provide the best possible experience for everyone.”

Durham County Council confirmed it had received a “number of complaints” about parking fines being issued at the location but were unable to act as the land is privately owned.

Popla said that it is unable to mandate parking operates to update signage, although does have the power to cancel parking charges as a result of poor signs.

A Parking Eye spokesperson added: “The car park at Home Bargains in Stanley features prominent and highly-visible signs throughout providing information on how to use the car park responsibly, including guidance on how all customers using the car park have a 1.5 hour maximum stay period.

“Parkingeye operates a BPA (British Parking Association) audited appeals process, which motorists can use to appeal their Parking Charge Notice. If anyone has mitigating circumstances, we would encourage them to highlight this by appealing. All motorists are also entitled to a further appeal via the independent appeals service Popla.”