Anger as McDonald's regular faces £400 fine over new parking limit

A 10-minute parking limit introduced to the site in Littleton, Walsall, has caught many regular customers of the restaurant unaware - with some now threatening to stop using the site.

Fast-food fans who have broken the rules have been left furious after being sent fines of up to £100 by the private contractor in charge of the car park, including one regular who received four separate fines.

As soon as a vehicle enters the Littleton site in Wisemore, Walsall, they are clocked by ANPR cameras, meaning time is ticking as they queue for food.

Richard Moore has received parking fines amounting to £400 after visiting the restaurant multiple times in recent weeks.

He said: "Now the nature of a drive-through is as it says, I drive through, collect my food and eat parked up, as I have usually done for the past two years, I did not notice the changed parking notices.

"This is not your run-of-the-mill car park as the dynamics of the daily McDonald's drive-through customers have not been taken into consideration.

"It would have been very helpful for warning notices to have been posted at the drive-through and maybe verbal information of the changed free parking time to only 10 minutes.

"None of this was done at the time the parking conditions changed and I continued to use McDonald's and the car park as I had done for the past two years.

"I have now stopped this as it is far too risky as a drive-through customer to complete my purchase within 10 minutes."

A petition to increase the waiting time at the site set up by Councillor Lee Jeavons has now received more than 300 signatures with people hoping change will lead to fines being rescinded.

The car park is run by a private contractor, not McDonald's, but petitioners are hoping the fast food giant will use its commercial power to help with the situation.

Geeta Gupta, who received a £60 after getting breakfast at the restaurant, said: "It was impossible to get served, pay, eat in 10 minutes.

"The landowner needs to be realistic, they should be more transparent.

"£60 is ridiculous we only spent £3.49, we will never use this McDonald's again."

Councillor Jeavons has described the changes as "disgraceful" and believes the waiting time must be longer.

He said: "According to planning permission, McDonald's customers are supposed to be able to park for free, the problem is none of the McDonald's bays are marked out."

The land is operated by Ocean Parking, which has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond.

A spokesman for McDonald's said: "We are aware of parking issues around our Littleton restaurant and we have contacted the managing agent to further understand and help resolve the issue."

The petition can be found at change.org/p/mcdonalds-increase-time-limit-for-parking-at-walsall-mcdonalds.