Quirky rule outrages Manchester motorists

Car wash and gas customers at a BP station in Manchester, UK, have been left fuming after they received fines of £100 for being on the site for more than 15 minutes. The operator states that the area is signed, and people should not be surprised. The station is adjacent to a large shopping complex with paid parking.

Customers report that after filling up at dispensers at the BP forecourt, they used the site's Jet Wash to clean their vehicles. Customers told media that when the wash systems broke down, customers had to go through the system again. On exit, Euro Car Parks photographed cars leaving after the allotted 15 minutes on site. Others report receiving fines after spending too long in self-wash bays where they could scrub, hand-dry, and vacuum vehicles. The site is busy and even fuel customers that have to line up to get to a dispenser run the risk of being ticketed as they wait in line.

Letters that come alongside the fines indicate that the gas station and car wash business operates on a paid parking lot. Tickets have been mailed to gas and car wash customers from Euro Car Parks, a multinational that operates throughout the EU. Euro Car Parks uses camera technology to record time and to capture car license plate images to identify drivers.

There is no word from Euro Car Parks on whether they will change the rule.