Dilip Singh was fined £100 for exceeding a one-hour parking limit at a KFC car park in Weymouth, Dorset, after his electric vehicle took 71 minutes to fully charge. The total cost of the fine and associated charges reached nearly £270, a case that remains unresolved in county court.
Mr. Singh paid £44.99 for 51.71kWh of electricity to charge his KIA SUV. He stated that the charging process locked the vehicle's plug, preventing him from moving the car until the charging session was complete at 11:58 a.m., 11 minutes past the one-hour parking limit which began at 10:47 a.m.
He argued that the charging station's information did not adequately clarify how the parking restrictions applied to drivers actively using the charging facilities, creating what he described as a "trap" for electric vehicle (EV) users. "My concern is that it was not clear whether that applied to someone actively using the EV charger," Singh said. "There was nothing on the charger saying that you had to disconnect within an hour, even if the charge was not complete."
KFC has reportedly asked InstaVolt, the network operating the charge points, to amend the rules to allow drivers to complete charging without incurring parking charges. However, the British Parking Association (BPA), whose member Civil Enforcement Ltd (CEL) operates the car park, stated that it is the motorist's responsibility to "read the signage and understand any conditions that may apply."
Isaac Occhipinti of the BPA advised drivers to check for parking restrictions before charging and to read signage carefully. He added that drivers who believe a parking charge notice was issued incorrectly should use the appeals process to present their circumstances. The incident highlights potential conflicts as the U.K. government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, a transition expected to increase the prevalence of such charging scenarios.