Elmbridge Borough Council has apologised for issuing incorrect parking fines (Penalty Charge Notices – PCNs) in some of its car parks due to a procedural issue. The council has opened a refund scheme for customers affected by these errors, which occurred between January 2020 and April 2026. The affected car parks are located in Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, and Weybridge.
The council has received 1,714 eligible applications for refunds, with 1,614 already paid and 18 ready for payment. A total of 82 applications are currently in progress. The refund process, which opened between 3 June 2026 and 6 October 2026, requires applicants to provide their contact details, vehicle registration number, and proof of payment. Approved claims are typically processed within two weeks.
Dawn Crewe, Strategic Director at Elmbridge Borough Council, stated, “We are very sorry that a procedural error led to some parking fines being issued incorrectly. Once we identified the issue, we worked quickly to put things right and introduce a refund scheme. We have designed the process to be as straightforward as possible so that anyone affected can reclaim their money, and we aim to issue refunds within two weeks of a valid claim submission.”
The errors specifically impacted fines issued between 8am and 9am, and 6pm and 7pm, since 6 January 2020 in car parks such as Berguette and Civic Centre in Esher, and Churchfield Road and Monument Hill in Weybridge. Fines issued on any Sunday since 24 April 2022 in these and other listed car parks may also be eligible. For Ashley Park car park in Walton-on-Thames, fines issued between 8am and 10am or 6pm and 7pm since 6 January 2020 are eligible.
In a 19 May 2026 Cabinet meeting, councillors apologised for the over 9,000 incorrect parking fines issued and agreed to the refund process, which was set to open in June 2026. Councillor Mike Rollings, Leader of Elmbridge Borough Council, apologised for the mistake and pledged a clear, simple refund process. Councillor Kirsty Hewens, Portfolio Holder for Enterprise, Parking and Local Economy, also expressed regret and encouraged affected individuals to apply.
In addition to refunds, the council is implementing measures to increase free parking to 30 minutes in some car parks and reduce charging hours in town centre car parks, expected from July 2026. Car parking charges were frozen for the 2026/27 budget.
