AN ELECTRIC vehicle driver has left annoyed after he received a £100 fine for parking at a KFC in Christchurch to charge his car.

Ian Fielding was handed the fine for parking in the car park of the Lyndhurst Road KFC in Christchurch on August 30 while the fast-food restaurant was shut.

Ian expressed frustration that a bigger sign wasn't put outside the car park, that contained two public-use EV charging points, and that he was allowed to enter it in the first place.

He said: "I drive a Tesla so I can't just go up and fill up at any petrol station and Christchurch and Bournemouth have potentially got the worst charger network in the UK.

"We didn't have enough charge to get up to Winchester but there were two Instavolt chargers at KFC which was over the road so it was all perfect.

"I wasn't looking to see if KFC was open, my assumption is it's a public Instavolt pay-to-use charger."

Ian, who is from Kent, stayed in the car park for 15 minutes before he had enough charge to get to Winchester and believes that he wasn't parked but refuelling.

Open to the public, he felt strongly that the charging points were open to the public and therefore to fine someone for their use is "scandalous".

He said: "The rules around parking is one thing, the rules around charging and specific public charging points are different.

"It just feels completely unjust to me that they're on Zapmap and advertised for public use.

"There should be signage by the charger to make it apparent."

Ian has fought both KFC and Civil Enforcement who give the fines but both have refused to remove the fine.

KFC explained to Ian that it has parking restrictions to "ensure there is adequate parking for guests" and to "deter any unwarranted or prolonged use" of the car park.

A letter from Civil Enforcement to Ian said: "On this occasion, your appeal has been unsuccessful. Signs say strictly no parking between 0.15am and 10.30am Monday to Friday.

"It is therefore our position that the parking charge was validly issued."