Driver proves Southampton Central station parking bays 'too small'

A motorist has had a fine for parking over the line of a bay overturned after he proved the spaces were "too small".

Jago Lawless, 46, was fined £80 for not parking his Hyundai i10 within a bay at Southampton Central station about a week ago.

After receiving the ticket, the naval architect measured the space and said it was "too small for an average-size car".

South West Trains said some spaces at the station would now be repainted.

According to the British Parking Association, there is no legal minimum size for parking bays, but there is a design standard which is 15.7ft (4.8m) in length and 7.8ft (2.4m) in width.

"When I first measured the entrance into the car parking bay, it measured at about 2.4m," Mr Lawless said.

"But because they've angled the parking bar over, the parallel width between the lines is actually only 1.978m wide, which is too small for an average-size car."

Mr Lawless added: "I couldn't believe that, having parked such a small car, that I could not have parked it properly.

"Because they are at an angle, they are too small - they're far too narrow and they're not long enough.

"You have to adjust parking your car to enable you to get in and out of the car."

South West Trains said the spaces at the car park were set up prior to any recommendations on parking bays being issued.

In a statement, it said: "Now this issue has been raised, we will be re-marking the small number of angled spaces in this car park to increase their width."

It said the penalty issued to Mr Lawless had also been withdrawn.