Concern is mounting at Cardigan’s controversial Coleg Ceredigion car park as motorists continue to find themselves receiving parking charges from Parking Eye despite being told that no payment is required.

Last month the Tivyside Advertiser ran a story on Katerina Lorencova who received a £100 fine despite trying to enter the relevant information into the parking machine in order to pay the parking charge.

Since then, numerous motorists have come forward who have found themselves in precisely the same predicament.

One of these is Dr Ieuan Davies, a consultant paediatrician based in Llantood.

“On September 14 I spent a futile three-quarters of an hour attempting to pay for parking in an almost empty car park while my daughter was playing football on the Astro at the leisure centre adjacent to the car park,” he said.

“It was only after downloading an app that repeatedly failed to accept my payment that I re-read the confusing signs and realised that you can’t park in the college car park between 7am and 7pm. But by then, I’d been caught and recorded on camera. So a fine was inevitable.”

Dr Davies was ordered to pay £100, however it was reduced to £60 as a result of his prompt payment.

He went on to describe the signs as 'seriously confusing’.

“The ‘free’ parking around the leisure centre is utterly insufficient and, in my opinion, the college has effectively invented a money-making trap that’s punishing the parents of children who play sports in the evenings and weekends at the leisure facilities," he said.

“This is creating anger and resentment towards the college but also leads to dangerous and chaotic double parking that risks accidents to the small children travelling to and from the astro”.

Also caught out was motorist Jemma Cooke, who parked in the car park two days after Dr Davies.

“On Saturday, September 16, I parked in the car park and attempted, three times, to pay for a two hour parking ticket which would have cost me £2.20,” she said.

“ I inputted my vehicle registration and location number as the signage requested, but every time a message came up saying ‘no payment required at this time'.

“ I was attending a kids’ party at the leisure centre and I was parked there for around an hour and a half.

"Five days later I received a £100 parking fine from Parking Eye in the post. Luckily I have a witness and screen shots and so I am appealing against the fine.”

Meanwhile Dr Davies has contacted Cardigan Town Council and the principal of Coleg Ceredigion in an attempt to have the current situation reviewed.

“Surely, if their motive was to secure parking for students and staff, then 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, would have been better, with ‘pay parking' available at all other times,” he said.

“If this ridiculous situation is allowed to persist, the council will need to enlarge the car parking around the Astro pitch.”

Cardigan mayor Cllr Sian Maehrlein, has also confirmed that she has outlined her concerns regarding the Coleg Ceredigion car park to Parking Eye.

Coleg Ceredigion has been asked to comment on the situation.