Couple hit with Dh283 fine despite parking in free car park

They discovered that they had been fined after a month of parking in the area.

A couple in London was shocked to get £60 (Dh283 approx) fine despite parking in free car park only because they pulled up their car in front of coffee outlet but instead went to another fast food restaurant.
Kate Readman and her husband had just got off a flight and parked next to the coffee outlet near Stansted Airport where a signboard stated that one hour parking was for free. Hence, they parked their car and walked 30 seconds to buy a meal from a fast food restaurant. However, a month later they discovered they had been fined £60 by MET Parking Services which manages the car park.
The couple also discovered that MET Parking Services had tracked their every move after they parked their car in the parking lot. "We left the car and walked the 30 metres or so to the fast food restaurant which is next door to the coffee outlet, ate and drove off after around 30 minutes - well inside the allotted free hour," Daily Mail quoted Readman as saying in The Guardian.
This is not the first time someone has complained about the clever tactics the company uses to fine people. Dozens of people on online forums, including MoneySavingExpert, The Consumer Action Group, Legal Beagles, have complained about experiencing the same problem. "I genuinely could not believe it when I got the letter. But when I went online I found plenty of posts from others who had received similar letters," she added.
It is reported that although the company has put up signs telling drivers they have one hour's free parking, there is no sign specifying any particular restaurant. "If this model is followed at other retail parks then you would have to park directly in front of the shop you wished to visit and then move your car each time you wanted to go to another shop. It's utterly ridiculous," Readman said.
However, defending the policy, MET's lawyers said the car parks are 'clearly distinct and separately signposted'. "There is nothing unusual about different businesses having their own car park or reserving free parking for their own customers," said MET's lawyers.
While, fortunately for the couple they may not have to pay the fine amount because they were notified over 14 days after they visited the parking lot near Stansted Airport. Neither the fast food restaurant nor the coffee outlet commented over the incident.