TWO DRIVERS fined at a Keighley car park claim none of the three ticket machines were working during their visits.

Shopper Karen Roche says several people were unable to obtain tickets during the time she was at the Cavendish Retail Park.

In a separate incident, Airedale Hospital worker Matthew Baxter said his wife Sally also received a parking charge notice despite not being able to buy a ticket.

In both cases Excel insists that at least one of the three machines was regularly dispensing tickets before and during the time the women’s vehicles were in the car park.

Mr Baxter, who lives in Hellifield, said his wife used the car park on January 27 and soon realised none of the three machines were working.

He said: “There were a number of other people trying to purchase a ticket who could not for the same reason.”

Mrs Roche, of Gilstead, said she called at the car park, off Cavendish Street, on January 18 to exchange a pair of training shoes.

She said: “It was a freezing cold day and neither of the two ticket machines at the entrance were printing out tickets.”

Mrs Roche said she checked the third ticket machine, at the other side of the car park, and it was not printing tickets either.

She was shocked to receive a £60 parking fine from Excel Parking Services, and despite her explanation for not paying, the company insisted on upholding the fine.

A spokesman for Excel Parking services told the Keighley News that Mrs Roche’s vehicle remained in the car park for about 26 minutes, despite signs stating that people must pay if they were there for longer than 10 minutes.

He added: “Ms Roche's vehicle was in breach of the terms and conditions clearly set out at the signage. She had the option to leave the site and find other parking arrangements.”

Excel said its records showed that Mrs Baxter’s vehicle was in the car park for almost 100 minutes.

The spokesman said signs at the car park displayed a helpline number in case motorists had problems with the machine. Neither woman phoned Excel on the day they parked in the car park.

Excel suggested that motorists who appealed unsuccessfully to the company for their parking charge notices to be waived, could then approach the free Independent Appeals Service.