I was fined £100 for driving into an Edinburgh car park for 73 seconds
A woman dropping off her mother has been slapped with a £100 fine for driving into a car park for 73 seconds.
Catherine Warmerdam was taking her 80-year-old mother to Edinburgh's Waverley station and turned into the privately-operated car park in Calton Road, thinking she might accompany her to the platform.
But when she saw a sign with instructions about paying online, she changed her mind, her mother got out, and she drove out of the car park.
Ms Warmerdam was then shocked to receive a letter telling her she was being fined £100 - reduced to £60 if she paid promptly.
She said: "It seemed so unfair. I was just taking my mum to the train, it was shortly before 8pm. I usually just stop on the road to drop her off at the back of the station in Calton Road and she goes up the steps.
"But this time it was a bit later than usual and I thought I would maybe just see her onto the train. I saw a car park on the left and I pulled in.
"Then I saw the signs - one was about a £100 fine and the other, I thought, said you could download an app to pay, but they say it’s about paying online.
"I couldn't be bothered with any of that - by the time I did that she'd be late for the train - so she got out and I turned round and drove out."
Ms Warmerdam said she had stayed in the car while her mother got out.
"I was there for such a short time, but the next thing we got a letter with photographs of the registration plate saying they were going to charge us £100 or £60 if we paid quickly.
"It just seemed ridiculous. I didn't really park - I didn't even go into a space because I'd already decided I wasn't going to stay."
The photographs showing her driving into the car park and out again carried a time stamp, showing her total time in the car park was 73 seconds.
She appealed against the fine but the company rejected her plea and insisted the fine still stood.
Ms Warmerdam said: "It feels like a trap - you wonder how many other people they have got in the same way. You just feel it's daylight robbery."
Car park operators I-Park Services Ltd said CCTV cameras covering the car park were linked to a payment system which would issue a parking charge if no payment is made.
“This will be monitored and if a motorist just drove in and out a parking charge would not be issued.
“In this case the motorist drove into the car park, stopped and parked to allow a passenger to exit. This is not allowed without a payment to park as the terms and conditions have been breached irrespective of the time period in question.
“This car park does not require an App to be downloaded as the payment system is an online secure website payment facility that only takes a short period of time to access. Private car parks do not permit a pick up or drop off facility without a payment to be made.”