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I've just been issued with a £100 parking fine for breastfeeding in my own car. I explained the situation to the parking company, MET Parking Services, in an appeal. They have just rejected it. I was at a @BP_plc @bp_Press petrol station at the time, where I also bought petrol!
Grounds for the fine: I overstayed by 18 mins. Breastfeeding takes the time it takes. @BP_plc, do you not support your customers to breastfeed? If not, aren't you in contravention of the Equality Act 2010, which states that woman can't be discriminated against for breastfeeding?
Question 2: Are women not protected to breastfeed in their own vehicles? In this case I was a customer, but I'd have thought that simply needing to breastfeed, as long as you're parked safely, should be enough to allow women to park wherever they can? @lalecheleague @AIMS_online
Question 3: If there isn't any clarity in the law on this point, can that be changed? I've just written to my MP @stellacreasy to ask this question. It's important at the moment because right now breastfeeding mothers have almost nowhere to go.
Covid has made being a new mum really tough anyway: Barely any in-person support, no baby groups, and no access to a wider network of friends and family. We're coming in to winter, there are almost no safe indoor spaces, and now we're being fined for using our own cars!
