A woman hit with a £100 fine as a result of Belfast City Airport’s controversial ‘no-stop’ rules has said she feels “powerless” after her attempt to appeal the penalty was rejected.
Dr Marise Heyns, a senior lecturer at Ulster University’s School of Medicine, was issued with a fine after stopping briefly in the grounds of the airport in December to check directions.
The academic, who is from South Africa, was collecting her wheelchair-bound mother, and says she will “never again” use Belfast City Airport as a result of her experience.
Drivers entering the airport are tracked with CCTV and can be fined £100 if they stop their vehicle for any reason outside a designated zone where a minimum £3 charge applies, while 10 minutes of free parking is available at the long-stay car park, a greater distance away.
The airport says it has introduced the fines to “protect the safety of pedestrians, motorists and staff on site” as drivers had been ignoring previous signs requesting vehicles do not stop.
Dr Heyns said she was appealing her early morning breach of the rule on December 5 as there were no other vehicles around and no-one entered or exited her vehicle.
The fines are managed by an external company, Vehicle Control Services Ltd, and if paid within 14 days, are reduced to £60, but increase to £170 if not paid within 28 days.
The penalty notice for Dr Heyns was issued on December 18, but she only received it in the post on February 2, one day after the deadline for the reduced fee expired.
After explaining this in her appeal, Vehicle Control Services told her in a letter seen by the Irish News, “we cannot be held responsible for delays in the post”.
The company said it was rejecting her appeal and claims of mitigating circumstances, however they extended the time to avail of the reduced £60 fine.
“I missed the short-stay turn-off and eventually realised I was moving away from the terminal and closer to long-term parking,” she told the Irish News.
“I needed to be in short-stay as my 83-year-old mother is in a wheelchair, so when I realised I had missed it, I pulled off the road as much as I could to check directions. There were no other vehicles around and it appeared to be a safe space that was not fully blocking the road and I was on my way again after I got my bearings.”
Dr Heyns, who has lived in Northern Ireland since 2021, added: “This appeal process has left me feeling powerless, and being told in a reply to my appeal that the fines company was not responsible for postal delays was very frustrating on top of everything else.
“I will never again use Belfast City Airport after this.”
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The airport has said up to 60 signs stating ‘no stopping, picking up or dropping off’ are visible in its grounds.
“Unfortunately, vehicles on site are continuously stopping in ‘no stop zones’ despite clear markings and signage,” a spokesperson said.
“This presents a real hazard to other motorists and pedestrians, as well as blocking emergency vehicle access.”
Revenue raised through the fines, excluding operational costs, goes to the airport’s Community Fund that “provides financial support for local community groups”.
The Irish News approached Vehicle Control Services for a response.
