Surrey Drivers Wrongly Fined Since 2020 Can Claim Parking Refunds From June

More than 9,000 drivers who were fined in council car parks across Elmbridge in Surrey are in line for a refund, and the scheme to pay that money back is due to open this month. Elmbridge Borough Council has admitted that 9,318 Penalty Charge Notices were issued incorrectly between 2020 and 2026 because of a procedural error in the way some of its parking rules were legally put in place. If you paid one of those tickets, there is a strong chance you can get it back.

The standard fine in an Elmbridge council car park is £50, dropping to £25 for drivers who pay within 14 days. With more than 9,000 penalties caught up in the error, the council has set aside roughly £308,000 to cover the refunds and has pledged to pay successful claims within two weeks of receiving a valid application. The refund process is expected to open at some point in June, once the council completes the governance steps needed to launch it.

What Went Wrong in Elmbridge’s Car Parks

The problem comes down to the legal paperwork that sits behind every charged parking bay. To enforce parking charges and issue penalties, a council must have the correct traffic orders in place. Elmbridge has accepted that a procedural error affected how some of its parking arrangements were legally established, which means a slice of the penalties it handed out were not properly enforceable in the first place.

The error did not affect every ticket. It applied to fines issued at specific times of day in a defined list of car parks. Penalties issued between 8am and 9am, and between 6pm and 7pm, in the affected car parks since 6 January 2020 may qualify. A second tranche covers fines issued on any Sunday in a wider list of car parks since 24 April 2022. One car park, Ashley Park in Walton-on-Thames, has its own time window of 8am to 10am and 6pm to 7pm.

Senior figures at the council have apologised publicly. Councillor Mike Rollings, Leader of Elmbridge Borough Council, said: “I apologise to everyone affected by this mistake. We’re determined to put this right quickly, and we will open a clear, simple refund process as soon as possible so people can get their money back.” Dawn Crewe, Strategic Director at the council, added that the authority was “doing everything we can to put this right” and would make sure the scheme was “widely publicised so that everyone who may be affected is aware.”

Which Fines Qualify for a Refund

The affected car parks sit across five Elmbridge towns: Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames and Weybridge. For the weekday window of 8am to 9am and 6pm to 7pm since 6 January 2020, the qualifying car parks include Berguette, Civic Centre, Heather Place and Highwayman’s Cottage in Esher, Cedar Road and Hollyhedge Road in Cobham, Drewitt’s Court and Manor Road in Walton-on-Thames, and Churchfield Road, Monument Hill and Baker Street in Weybridge.

The Sunday refunds, covering fines since 24 April 2022, apply to an even longer list that adds Mayfield Road in Hersham, Ashley Park, Station Avenue and Walton Park in Walton-on-Thames, and Heath North and Heath South in Weybridge. If you cannot remember the exact car park or the time printed on an old ticket, it is still worth applying, because each claim is checked against the eligibility rules before a decision is made.

Importantly, you can still claim even if you no longer own the car. The council has confirmed that a refund can be processed as long as you can supply the vehicle registration number and proof that you paid the fine. That detail will reassure anyone who has changed cars in the six years the error covers. Drivers who were taken to enforcement or bailiff action over an eligible ticket do not need to wait for the public scheme at all, because the council holds their contact details and has said it will reach out directly.

How to Claim Your Money Back

Once the scheme opens, claims can be made online through the council website at elmbridge.gov.uk or by phone on 01372 474 474. The council has said it will keep the process as simple as possible, and it aims to pay approved claims within two weeks.

To process a refund you will be asked for four things: your name and contact details, the vehicle registration number, proof that you paid the parking fine, and bank details so the money can be sent to you. It is worth digging out any bank or card statements now so you have the evidence ready when the scheme goes live. One point to be clear on is that the refund covers the fine amount only. The council considered adding interest and decided against it, so you will be paid back exactly what the penalty cost, with nothing on top.

There is a catch worth noting. The council cannot contact most affected drivers itself, because the details linked to a vehicle registration are held by the DVLA and protected for privacy reasons. That means the onus is on drivers to come forward. If you think you parked in one of the listed car parks and picked up a ticket at the relevant time, the responsibility to apply rests with you. The council has said it will promote the scheme as widely as it can, but it cannot send you a cheque automatically.

Why You Should Always Question a Council Parking Ticket

The Elmbridge case is a reminder that a Penalty Charge Notice from a council is not automatically valid just because it lands on your windscreen. Local authorities must follow strict rules on signage, traffic orders and timing, and when they get it wrong the penalty can be cancelled. Drivers have a formal right to challenge a council PCN, first by making informal representations and then, if rejected, by appealing to an independent tribunal at no cost. The same principle of checking the small print applies to private car parks, where motorists overturned a record number of tickets last year by taking their cases to appeal.

This is not the first time Elmbridge drivers have been told they are owed money. The scale of the problem was first revealed last month, when the council confirmed the error and promised refunds. What has changed now is that the route to actually reclaiming the cash is about to open, which makes this the moment to act rather than wait.

Alongside the refunds, Elmbridge has said it will use the episode to widen the number of council car parks offering 30 minutes of free parking on a trial basis and to cut the charging hours in some town centre car parks, with those changes expected from July 2026. The council also froze its parking charges in the 2026/27 budget. For drivers in Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames and Weybridge, the practical message is simple. Check whether you parked and paid a fine in one of the named car parks since 2020, gather your proof of payment, and be ready to apply the moment the refund scheme opens.

What To Do Now

• Check whether you received a fine in one of the listed Esher, Cobham, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames or Weybridge car parks since 2020.
• Find proof of payment, such as a bank or card statement, and note your vehicle registration from that period.
• Wait for the council to confirm the exact opening date in June, then apply online at elmbridge.gov.uk or by phone on 01372 474 474.
• Expect a refund of the fine amount only, paid within two weeks of a successful claim.
• If you faced bailiff or enforcement action, you can call the council directly rather than waiting for the public scheme.

Sources:

• https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/news/2026/elmbridge-borough-council-apologises-incorrectly-issued-parking-fines-and-will-refund
• https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/surrey-east-hampshire/news/thousands-due-refunds-over-parking-error-elmbridge
• https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/parking-wrongly-fined-council-refund-motorists-surrey