Bedford Borough Council apologised after some drivers received penalty charge notices when they eventually returned to vehicles in a council-run car park near Bedford railway station after a fatal crash left commuters unable to retrieve their cars.

The collision involved two East Midlands Railway trains near Bedford on Friday, leaving the train driver dead and more than 100 people injured. Some passengers, who had been told to travel home if they were uninjured, were unable to collect their parked vehicles for a period due to the disruption and emergency response.

When some motorists finally returned to the car park—managed by Bedford Borough Council and adjacent to the station—they found penalty charge notices stuck to their windscreens, prompting complaints that the tickets had been issued despite people being told not to go to the station.

A council spokesperson said they were aware of the matter and apologised for any incorrect tickets issued, adding that corrective action had already been taken and that people who still needed a ticket rescinded could contact the council.