Nearly 2,000 apply for parking fine error refunds

Nearly 2,000 drivers in Surrey have applied to be refunded for parking fines after a local authority admitted not having the legal powers to issue them.

In May, Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) said more than 9,000 people had been affected by the mistake, which resulted in £300,000 of fines across 17 of its car parks in Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames and Weybridge.

The authority discovered the error while updating its parking terms and conditions and subsequently launched a scheme allowing people to claim their money back.

So far, according to EBC's website, 1,869 refunds have been paid from a total of 1,957 applications received, with the remainder still in progress.

The fines were issued at car parks during early morning and evening hours from January 2020, and at multiple sites on Sundays from April 2022, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said at the time.

It added that the problem had arisen from a "procedural error", meaning enforcement officers did not have the legal authority to issue tickets because a full consultation had not been carried out.

Dawn Crewe, EBC's strategic director, said the authority was "very sorry" and had "worked quickly to put things right" once the issue had been identified.

EBC said anyone who could provide proof of payment and vehicle details should be able to reclaim their money, with refunds expected within two weeks.

It also said refunds would be paid from its reserves and would not affect day-to-day services or its annual budget.

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