Robin Hood Airport £90 clamping fee for OAP
10.11.08
Doncaster pensioner John Heffernan has slammed Robin Hood Airport after leaving his car for minutes landed him a £90 clamping fine, the Star reports. The 78-year-old, from Summerfields, Blaxton, parked his car in front of the terminal while he 'put his head around the door to have a look inside while he waited to pick up a friend'. But when he returned, he discovered clampers had struck in the time it had taken him to walk around 50 yards to the terminal and back.
The retired miner told the newspaper: ‘When I got there I settled down opposite the main terminal building. I'd not seen it before, so I went across to have a look inside. It just looked like a supermarket, so I went back to the car. But when I got back I had been clamped. They said I had left my car, but I'd only been away from it a few minutes. I didn't obstruct anyone. It was a picking up and dropping off place.'
‘It was 22:30 and it was dark. I didn't know I couldn't leave the car. I didn't have £90 with me. In the end I was able to borrow it off my friend when he arrived. But I could have been left stranded at the airport in the middle of the night because of what had happened. I think this sort of action is going to stop people using Robin Hood Airport.’
Bosses at Robin Hood Airport defended clamping and said there were signs making it clear the pick-up area was a no-parking zone. A spokesman said: ‘The pick-up area outside the terminal building is strictly a no-parking area as directed by the Department of Transport. There are 14 highly visible signs to inform motorists of the restrictions – that if vehicles are left unattended, they will be clamped.'
‘There are also regular announcements in the terminal building to remind airport users. Such restrictions are, of course, not unique to Robin Hood Airport and have been in place at all UK airports for some time. All passenger pick-ups should take place using the main car park.'
‘We have no record that the individual concerned has raised this issue directly with us. However upon receipt of such information we are happy to look into this further.’
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