Regarding the article about a parking fine which was issued to a couple who were shopping in the Goldstone Retail Park, Hove on November 30 (The Argus, December 14), where the couple had overstayed the three-hour limit by 28 minutes: this also happened to myself in July of 2009.

I was visiting The Comet Group, also in the Goldstone Park, with the intention of replacing some domestic items. At that time, the parking limit was just two hours and I inadvertently overstayed the limit by 15 minutes.

It probably took about ten minutes to walk from the shop to the car and to actually pass the barrier.

I wrote to The Comet Group, but did not receive a reply, and also wrote to Civil Enforcement Ltd, which issued the fine, protesting that the £150 penalty required was far in excess of what was just, fair and reasonable.

In spite of the fact that a few weeks after this incident the time period allowed was increased from two hours to three hours, Civil Enforcement Ltd continue to issue demanding letters and threats of court action.

And this all for overstaying for just 15 minutes. If Civil Enforcement Ltd was a High Street trader it would be shown up for unfair trading.

Mrs M Regan, Medmerry Hill, Brighton