Driver wins case against parking company over fine in Welsh

2023-06-10

Driver wins case against parking company over fine after they refused to write in Welsh

Elysteg Llwyd Thomas won the civil case against Simple Intelligent Parking Ltd

A driver has won a court case against a parking company over a fine after they refused to write it in Welsh.

Elysteg Llwyd Thomas from Dyffryn Nantlle, Gwynedd, won the civil case against Simple Intelligent Parking Ltd (SIP) because they had declined to provide the information regarding the £60 fine bilingually.

Ms Thomas told the company she would pay if they provided all correspondence in Welsh, including a copy of the fine she received after parking at Lligwy beach, near Moelfre, Anglesey, in August 2021, the BBC reports.

But SIP ignored her request and upped the fine to £100 and then £160 when she didn’t pay up.

Ms Thomas was represented in the court by her father, Eifion Lloyd Jones, who is a member of a Welsh language campaign group called Dyfodol i’r Iaith.

Ms Thomas told the company she would pay if they provided all correspondence in Welsh, including a copy of the fine she received after parking at Lligwy beach (pictured), near Moelfre, Anglesey, in August 2021 (file image)

Judge Merfyn Jones-Evans said all signs in car parks in Wales should be bilingual and that notices in English or Welsh only were not ‘sufficient notices’ ine line with the Protection of Freedom Act 2012.

After the case, Ms Thomas’ father Mr Jones from Prion, Denbighshire, said he hoped the judge’s warning would lead to the end of Welsh people being penalised for asking for correspondence in Welsh.

Dylan Rhys Jones, head of the School of Law at Wrexham’s Glyndwr University, said there had been ‘absolutely no precedent’ set by the case and that there could be another case next week with a different outcome.

He told the BBC: ‘If people continue to challenge fines that are given in English only like this, and that companies realise that it is cheaper for them in a way to provide documentation in Welsh rather than going to court… then it is going to be cheaper for them to provide documents in Welsh.’

Simple Intelligent Parking Ltd said it intended to appeal against the decision and told S4C Newyddion: ‘We are waiting for the written judgment so that we can take the appropriate steps.

‘However, we anticipate that we will appeal against the decision as it is wrong according to the law.’

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