Disabled Man Fined £300 Over Gym Parking 'Mistake' After Rejoining for Arthritis Relief
A disabled man has been slapped with £300 in parking fines after rejoining his local gym to help manage his arthritis symptoms, in what he describes as an "innocent oversight" due to a new system he was unaware of.
The Costly Oversight
Marcus Le-Count, 63, from Manchester, unwittingly fell foul of parking rules when he re-joined the Arcadia Leisure Centre in Levenshulme on March 17. He parked his motability car, displaying his blue badge, outside the facility, only to receive a letter days later from the UK Parking Patrol Office demanding £100 for a "parking charge."
"As soon as I got it my stomach churned. And I had no idea that another two fines were on the way," Marcus recalled. The parking firm alleged he had "failed to register for the duration of stay" on private land outside the leisure centre.
A System Change Without Warning
Marcus claims he was completely unaware of the need to register his vehicle upon arrival, a procedure that had been implemented since his last gym membership. He says this was not alerted to him when he signed up for a new contract with Better, the company operating the leisure centre under GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited).
By the end of that week, he found himself owing £300 in charges after receiving letters for two additional parking violations on March 18 and 20. "I suffer from various problems and I'm a man of a certain age. I had no idea it was a new system," he explained.
Apology Rejected as 'Disingenuous'
GLL has since apologised and cancelled the fines, admitting to an "honest mistake." However, Marcus has labelled the apology as "disingenuous," insisting it only materialised following involvement from the Manchester Evening News. He argues the service needs to be "managed properly" to prevent others from falling victim.
Marcus intends to demonstrate outside the gym this weekend, distributing leaflets to motorists using the car park to alert them about possible fines. "It's caused me a lot of worry and I have had to fight tooth and nail to get them waived," he says.
Broader Concerns and Impact
Marcus states he parked in the identical location during his previous gym membership and argues the signage in the car park fails to adequately warn motorists they could face penalties. He also claims he faced difficulties appealing the fines through Better, a charitable social enterprise, after being unable to reach anyone through their customer service telephone line.
As someone on a fixed income relying on benefits, he says the ordeal has generated enormous anxiety. "I'm disgusted that they have put me through all that stress and upset," he says. "They are a charity and at the end of their email it says you can go to the website to see what they are doing in the community. What a joke."
Consequences for Health and Wellbeing
The situation has had a direct impact on Marcus's health management. "It's really upset me. And the result is that I have had to cancel my membership in disgust and that means I'm now without somewhere to go swimming to benefit my arthritis," he adds.
He further criticises the new signs as small but likely just within the law, and notes the £100 fine is set at the threshold before it is lawfully regarded as excessive. "I also know other members have also been caught out here. Better admit that on their website. So why do they not tell existing members the new rules and why not tell new members? I admit I made the mistake, but I am human. I cannot afford this."
Official Response
A spokesperson for GLL, which operates the Arcadia Centre, said: "We agree parking fines should not be issued for an honest mistake, so have instructed our contractors to cancel these fines on this occasion. We apologise to the customer for any inconvenience."
Despite this, Marcus remains firm in his stance, highlighting systemic issues in communication and management that he believes need urgent addressing to protect vulnerable users from similar penalties.
