Key Points
- Unprecedented Fine Accumulation: Mr Su, an elderly local business owner running Su's Fish and Chips on Belmont Road in Astley Bridge, was astonished after receiving five separate parking tickets totaling £500.
- Regular Customer Impacted: Despite having frequented the Ashburner Street car park near Bolton Market for years without incident, Mr Su received multiple £100 fines—reduced to £60 each for early payment—even though he paid for parking during every visit.
- Political Intervention: Unsure of how to navigate the required online appeals portal, Mr Su sought assistance from Astley Bridge ward councillor Toby Hewitt, who stepped in to challenge the notices.
- Partial Resolution: Councillor Hewitt successfully secured the cancellation of four unpaid tickets, though NCP declined to issue a refund for the initial £60 penalty already settled by Mr Su.
- Operator Investigation: Car park operator NCP (National Car Parks), which entered administration in March 2026, confirmed it is investigating the matter and promised to issue a refund if an error occurred.
- Wider Trend at Ashburner Street: The car park has been the site of extensive driver frustration; Freedom of Information data revealed over 8,100 parking charge notices were issued at the site within a single 12-month period.
Bolton (Bolton Today) August 11, 2026 - An elderly Bolton restaurant owner who meticulously paid for his parking during routine business visits was left stunned after receiving five separate parking penalty charge notices amounting to £500 at the town centre's Ashburner Street car park. Mr Su, the long-standing proprietor of Su's Fish and Chips located on Belmont Road in Astley Bridge, was hit with repeated £100 fines despite having used the site near Bolton Market for years without any prior compliance issues. The incident has raised fresh concerns among local representatives and motorists regarding automated enforcement methods and the accessibility of penalty challenge systems for vulnerable and elderly drivers.
As reported by reporter Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, the dispute escalated when Mr Su received a wave of consecutive fine notices arriving every few days. Each ticket carried a £100 demand, which could be reduced to £60 if paid within the standard early-payment window. Having initially paid the first £60 fine under the impression that it might have been an isolated error, Mr Su became distressed as four subsequent fines arrived in quick succession. Facing a complex online appeal process that he was unable to navigate, Mr Su turned to his local representative, Conservative Councillor Toby Hewitt for Astley Bridge, who undertook a systematic challenge of all five enforcement notices on the business owner's behalf.
What triggered the £500 parking penalty against the local restaurant owner?
According to reporting by Dan Dougherty in The Bolton News, the series of parking fines began unexpectedly after Mr Su made his regular morning runs to the Ashburner Street car park, adjacent to Bolton Market, to source fresh fish for his takeaway and restaurant business. Despite having adhered to the same routine and payment process for years, Mr Su was unexpectedly issued five separate penalty notices over a condensed timeframe.
Speaking to The Bolton News, Councillor Toby Hewitt described how the recurring fines caught the elderly trader completely off guard:
"He was getting parking tickets from Ashburner Street every couple of days, so he got in contact with me. He's been going there for years, and he's never had a parking ticket before. Then a few weeks ago he started getting them, and now he's had five."
The financial weight of the enforcement action escalated rapidly. Under standard private parking operations, each penalty charge notice carries an initial penalty fee of £100. Although drivers are offered a discounted settlement figure of £60 if paid promptly, receiving multiple charges within days placed a significant financial burden on the local independent business owner.
Who is Mr Su and why was he visiting Ashburner Street?
Mr Su is a well-known community figure in Astley Bridge, operating Su's Fish and Chips on Belmont Road. As part of his daily commercial operations, he relies on purchasing fresh produce directly from local vendors at Bolton Market. To facilitate these trips, he regularly parks at the nearby Ashburner Street car park, a primary parking location serving both market shoppers and local traders.
As highlighted in the coverage by Dan Dougherty for The Bolton News, Mr Su had maintained a clean driving and parking record at the location over many years. Crucially, during every visit in question, he purchased a physical parking ticket from the site's payment terminals and retained the paper stubs—a habit that ultimately proved vital in demonstrating his compliance.
Despite having physical proof of payment, Mr Su faced significant hurdles when attempting to communicate with the parking management company. The shift toward digital-first dispute mechanisms created a barrier that left the elderly merchant unable to contest the charges independently.
How did local councillor Toby Hewitt intervene in the dispute?
Recognising the distress caused by the mounting financial demands, Astley Bridge Ward Councillor Toby Hewitt stepped in to advocate on Mr Su's behalf. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, Councillor Hewitt took on the responsibility of lodging formal challenges against all five penalty notices issued by the operator.
Explaining the difficulties faced by senior citizens when dealing with automated parking enforcement systems, Councillor Hewitt told The Bolton News:
"He's an older gentleman, and he didn't really know how to challenge them. They wanted him to do an online submission, which he didn't know how to do."
Through Councillor Hewitt's direct intervention, four of the outstanding notices—which had not yet been paid—were formally cancelled by the operator after verification of Mr Su's parking receipts. However, securing a remedy for the initial fine proved more complex.
"I challenged all five tickets and got four of them cancelled,"
Councillor Hewitt explained to Dan Dougherty at The Bolton News.
"This was because he hadn't already paid them. I tried to get a refund for the one he did pay, however, but I wasn't able to do it."
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What was the official response from parking operator NCP?
The Ashburner Street facility is operated by National Car Parks (NCP), one of the largest private car park operators in the United Kingdom. The company, which entered administration in March 2026 amid broader restructuring, responded to enquiries regarding Mr Su's case following media interest.
As quoted in the report by Dan Dougherty for The Bolton News, a spokesperson for NCP stated:
"Thank you for contacting us regarding this concern. We are investigating this matter, and if we find there to be a fault, then we will of course cancel or refund any Parking Charges that may have been issued incorrectly, communicating directly with the customer in each case."
While NCP expressed a willingness to review the circumstances surrounding the remaining £60 charge, Councillor Hewitt expressed wider concerns about whether other motorists might have fallen victim to similar administrative or technological errors without having the resources or representation to challenge them.
"I'm concerned as well that other people might have been given unwarranted tickets and ended up paying them,"
Councillor Hewitt remarked in The Bolton News.
Is Ashburner Street car park known for widespread parking fine controversies?
The case involving Mr Su is not an isolated incident at the Ashburner Street site. Research and official data compiled by The Bolton News indicate that the car park has generated significant public controversy over recent years due to high volume penalty enforcement and operational changes.
How many fines were issued at Ashburner Street in recent months?
According to data obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests published by The Bolton News, an extraordinary volume of penalty notices has been generated at the Ashburner Street facility. Between December 1, 2023, and December 1, 2024, a total of 8,196 parking fines were issued to motorists using the site—averaging more than 22 penalty notices per day.
This high rate of enforcement has drawn criticism from local shoppers, market stallholders, and elected officials who argue that aggressive ticketing risks deterring visitors from Bolton town centre at a time when local high streets are seeking to recover footfall.
What happened to blue badge holders at the same location?
In addition to standard commercial users, disabled drivers have also experienced unexpected enforcement actions at the site following policy adjustments. As reported by Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, a Blue Badge holder was fined nearly £200 in 2024 after parking at Ashburner Street without realising that a policy shift required badge holders to pay standard parking tariffs.
In another high-profile case detailed by The Bolton News in February 2025, Blue Badge holder Helen White accumulated a total fine balance of £500 after unawareness of the changed terms led to multiple automated tickets being logged against her vehicle.
What advice do consumer advocates and local representatives give to drivers?
In light of Mr Su's experience, local representatives are urging all motorists to take proactive safeguards when using privately operated parking facilities.
Speaking to reporter Dan Dougherty of The Bolton News, Councillor Hewitt highlighted the single most important action drivers can take to protect themselves against unwarranted enforcement:
"He told me he always pays his tickets and has done for years. He goes there to get fresh fish for his restaurant, and thankfully he kept his parking tickets. I want to remind people to always keep their physical tickets, because it makes it much easier to appeal fines if you need to do so."
What steps should drivers follow if issued an incorrect parking fine?
- Retain Physical Evidence: Always keep paper parking tickets, pay-and-display receipts, or digital booking confirmations for several weeks after visiting a car park.
- Note Vehicle Registration Details: Double-check that full and correct vehicle registration numbers are entered into ticket machines, as minor keying errors frequently trigger automated fines.
- Photograph Signage and Payment Displays: Take clear photos of tariff boards, machine screens, and machine identification numbers if equipment malfunctions or instructions are ambiguous.
- Seek Timely Support: If online portals present technical or accessibility barriers, contact local ward councillors, legal advice centres, or consumer support groups promptly before early-payment windows expire.