A father from Marlow has slammed the “overzealous” parking officers at Wycombe Leisure Centre after he was handed an on-the-spot fine when he stopped for “40 seconds” to collect his daughter.

Steve Quinn, of Barnards Hill, was left outraged when he briefly stopped in a drop-off bay and a parking officer subsequently issued him a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) on May 10, while his wife and eight-year-old walked towards his car.

The 50-year-old called for clearer guidance to be issued on parking regulations, adding enforcement appears to have changed from a “free for all” to a now “draconian” system.

He said: “Clearly we've jumped from a free for all with no enforcement outside the area at the centre to an overzealous approach which is penalising people simply dropping off and picking up their children.

“The attendant enquired what I was doing and I told her I was there to pick up my daughter, to which she responded ‘where is she?’

“I told her she was in the leisure centre and on her way to which I was then quizzed ‘is she in the cafeteria or changing rooms?

“To be honest at that point and after a long day I asked what rights she was acting under to ask such a question and what the precise rules were for stopping for pick up and drop off, and the situation was frankly ridiculous and unclear.”

Mr Quinn said the parking officer noted his number plate and appeared to offer him an on-the-spot fine - which was confirmed on Monday this week when he received a PCN in the post.

He added: “They are just looking for a soft target.

“If they said it was a maximum stay of two minutes, or five minutes, then that would be helpful but it says drop off only – what does that mean?”

In December last year Wycombe District Council increased its parking enforcement at the leisure centre after motorists appeared to ignore the centre’s parking restrictions, and used the short-term drop off points to park for free for long periods.

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council defended the parking officers, stating motorists are not permitted to wait in the drop-off and collection bays, adding parking officers are “just doing their jobs”.

Catherine Spalton, of WDC, said: "The area outside of the car parks is managed under on-street parking management legislation.

"The pick-up/drop-off bays are for just that - to pick up someone who is already waiting or to drop someone off and then drive away.

"No waiting is permitted, as the signs clearly indicate. For a longer stay, motorists should use the car parks and then walk to a meeting point for a pick up.

“Our parking officers are just doing their job. They usually issue an "on the spot" penalty charge notice for a parking contravention. It's only if they are prevented from issuing a notice that it follows in the post within a few weeks.

“Reasons that officers are prevented from issuing a PCN on the spot include a confrontational motorist, or a motorist who drives away after the PCN has been initiated (and they don't wait for it). Details of how to appeal are always included with the PCN.”