Airport parking charges refunded after two drivers’ 18-second stops

Two drivers received refunds after Vehicle Control Services issued £100 parking charges for separate 18-second stops in airport no-stopping zones, the Guardian reports. At Leeds Bradford, a motorist said a wasp near his face made driving unsafe. The airport instructed the operator to refund the charge after the newspaper intervened, describing the decision as goodwill while maintaining that restrictions remained enforceable.

At Bristol, another driver stopped to read parking terms after finding signage confusing despite having prepaid for parking. VCS and the Independent Appeals Service rejected her appeal. Bristol airport said the enforcement company refunded the charge after reviewing the circumstances. VCS did not provide a response reported in the article.

Both notices went to the drivers’ spouses as registered keepers. The Guardian explains that airport land governed by bylaws falls outside the registered-keeper liability provisions of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. That distinction concerns who can be pursued for payment, rather than whether airport no-stopping restrictions can be enforced against drivers.