LITTLE known changes to popular car park is catching people out, irate users claim.

Dr Andy Hansen and his wife Amanda have been slapped with a £100 fine after they were caught out at the car park behind the Co-op in Bingley Road, after not realising they had to register their car’s registration for their free 20-minute parking at the site.

The car park was taken over by Birmingham-based company Smart Parking from Bradford Council last month.

When it was Council-run, drivers could park at the site for free for the first 20 minutes. Now, Smart Parking have kept the 20-minute free parking system but drivers must now submit their registration number as proof.

Despite this change being displayed on signs next to the site’s ticket machine, Dr Hansen says the change was not displayed in a prominent position which may have led to drivers not realising the rule change.

Dr Hansen, of Sherwood Grove, Shipley, fears he will face a possible four more fines of £100 each after being caught out on June 23, when he parked at the site for 18 minutes.

He says he has spoken to a number of other motorists at the car park who have also been caught out by the change.

His parking notice letter states that if the fine is paid within 14 days from the date of the alleged breach, it will be reduced to £60.

No representatives from Smart Parking were available for comment when contacted by the Telegraph & Argus.

Dr Hansen said: “This does not seem fair. There will be other people who have been caught out.

“It is not obvious the situation has changed.

“It seems to be disgraceful. For many years I have popped into the car park.

“Many of the customers of the Co-op and the other shops on Gordon Terrace are likely to have parked unwittingly or in good faith to go shopping for a few minutes without buying a ticket, and are now being landed with a £100 penalty notice from Smart Parking.

“We have parked there briefly on a number of occasions since and are expecting more penalty notices to arrive in the next two weeks.

“Although this change to the terms and conditions is mentioned on the signs next to the ticket machines, it is not prominently displayed, and most customers will assume that it is business as usual at the car park and will be parking for a few minutes without getting a ticket.”

A Bradford Council spokesman confirmed its lease at the car park finished on April 1 this year.

Daniel Pelissier, Co-op manager in Saltaire, said he has received a number of complaints from shoppers but stressed the car park was not run by the supermarket.

He said: “We are as frustrated as our customers are.

“People are not not parking illegally, they just don’t realise it has changed.

“There could be an impact for our business.”