A mother was fined £100 for parking slightly over the line while trying to safely get her newborn twins out of the car
Teesside: So, there’s this new mum, Kelly Kitchen, who got slapped with a £100 fine for parking a bit over the line. She was just trying to get her newborn twins out of the car after shopping. Can you believe that?
Kelly, 36, was at the store with her 12-week-old boys, Jesse and Joey. She said there were no parent and child spaces available, and she needed to open both rear doors wide to get the car seats out. That’s why she ended up slightly over the line.
She tried to appeal the fine, explaining her situation, but they turned her down. It’s not the first time this has happened to her, either. Last time in Durham, they waived the fine after she explained what happened.
She was at Teesside Park on December 5, and it was super busy. Kelly mentioned that she had no choice but to park a little over the line to get the boys out safely. She’s been in touch with the park management and the enforcement company, but they just won’t budge.
Feeling frustrated, she said, “No-one seems to be interested. I feel like I am just going round in circles.” It’s tough out there for parents, especially when there aren’t enough parent and child spaces that are wide enough.
Kelly pointed out that it’s not just a problem at Teesside Park; it’s everywhere. Those car seats are bulky, and you really need to open the doors wide to get them out. She never thought about this before having kids, but now she’s wondering how other parents manage.
In response, Teesside Park said their car park is managed by Minster Baywatch and that they have policies to keep spaces available for families. They do have dedicated parent and child spaces, but it sounds like they need to rethink how they’re set up.
