Residents claim they are being slapped with 'unfair' fines for trying to drop friends and family off at Hayes and Harlington station.

Drivers are upset that their usual drop-off point at the station has been blocked off, for Crossrail construction work to take place, leaving them with nowhere to turn round.

Nicola Newnham, from Hayes, feels she has been treated unfairly after being told she must pay £60 for using the nearby High Point Village driveway, just before the blocked off roundabout, on January 5.

After appealing the ticket twice, Miss Newnham risks the fine increasing to £100 if it isn't paid within the set time period.

She said: “I was appealing because you used to be able to drop people off down the little roundabout. That's basically now blocked off.

“I was just dropping off and turning round as there were no bays - I was there less than a minute.

“I basically opened the door, let them out and I was off.”

The fact Miss Newnham was doing her mother and aunt a favour at the time, so they could catch a train in time, made the situation even worse.

She continued: “To get a ticket for doing a good deed really upset me to be honest.

“Before the area was blocked off, I used to drop my friend off for work most mornings.

“There are probably a lot of people out there getting tickets for this.”

Hillingdon Council informed Miss Newnham that a private company was issuing the tickets and not the local authority.

She said: “It's a bit of a con, I think something dodgy is going on. A lot of people are getting tickets.

“I just want other people to be warned that there are wardens standing there taking photos of you, regardless of why you're doing it.”

'Unfair people are being penalised'

Harlington resident, Carol Pruden, is also appealing her fine for quickly dropping her partner off at the station.

She said: “In my appeal, I've mentioned the fact that there's construction work going on at Hayes station. There used to be a turnaround point and that's not there anymore.

“As you drive down the road, you have no other option but to turn around in this entrance into the flats.

“I went to drop my partner and off I went. I was there seconds.”

The parking company, PCM, have accused Ms Pruden of causing an obstruction in their fine letter.

She continued: “I wasn't parked and my brake lights are on even in the photo evidence.

“You can't park at the front of the station because there are cameras.

“If you sit there and wait for a bay to become free you're going to get a ticket anyway.”

Ms Pruden says she understands that construction work needs to take place at the station but thinks it's unfair people are being penalised.

She said: “I don't believe I should be paying the fine - where else are you supposed to drop off?”

“You've got no choice but to turn around and use that bit.

“I think it's really unfair as there isn't anywhere in the vicinity of station where you can drop off safely.”

Network Rail has reminded drivers that there are a number of short-term parking spaces for people who want to drop off and pick up.

A spokesperson said: “Our work site at Hayes & Harlington has been designed to reduce the impact on people using the station as far as possible.

“The work we are carrying out as part of the Crossrail programme will transform the station, providing a new ticket hall, new lifts and new waiting facilities.”