ParkingEye have disappeared from Kingswood in Hull

grant_uk · 5 May 2015 at 8:04AM

The Kingswood retail park is on the outskirts of Hull - it was when my wife fell foul of the parking 'restrictions' there a few of years back that I became interested in the world of private parking companies - particularly PE.

We stopped off there over the weekend and there wasn't a ParkingEye sign to be found.

I'd like to think that they are getting such negative publicity that their customer base is increasingly no longer wanting to be associated with them, so contracts aren't being renewed.

Certainly, a constant stream of complaints to the various retailers wouldn't have helped. The Asda section of Kingswood is still covered by a PPC - didn't see which one, but they binned PE a good while ago. The remainder of the parking is now no longer covered by anyone, it seems.

Given that this isn't the only 'ParkingEye have cleared off from xxx' thread, is this a trend that's gathering steam?

bazster · 5 May 2015 at 8:15AM

Let's hope so. The whole dismal "industry" is governed by two factors guaranteeing its ultimate demise: (i) once "problem" parkers have been deterred the parasites must prey on genuine customers, to the detriment of the retail businesses concerned and (ii) they are dishing out the confetti in such huge volumes that soon there will only be two kinds of motorists in the UK: those who always look out for and read signs and hence never get "caught" and (ii) those who've been caught once and will not be caught again, either by avoiding the infected car parks or being more careful.

ColliesCarer · 5 May 2015 at 9:55AM

Great stuff!!

Third contract reported lost by PE in about as many days! :T

Marktheshark · 5 May 2015 at 10:00AM

Its a case of the industry eating itself with greed.
People that own car parks have woken up to the fact that the shysters they let in to manage it are raking in millions from the tickets.

So now they want a slice of the cake and take bids from interested parties who want to [STRIKE]Scam the customers of your shop[/STRIKE] manage the car park.
The upside is the industry will eat itself as they all try to outbid each other or end up with no car parks.
Poetic justice I say, greed eats greed.

The_Deep · 5 May 2015 at 10:47AM

Fistral Beach, Ormskirk, and now Hull, all within a few days of each other.

Has anyone in PE asked why?

Marktheshark · 5 May 2015 at 10:50AM

Probably more to do with expiring contracts, firms now poach car parks by offering the most money so lucrative it is.
Parking Eye have huge overheads to maintain and small lighter firms can easily outbid them for site contracts as with feet on the ground they can put out tickets for breaking silly rules that parking eye can not with ANPR.

enfield_freddy · 5 May 2015 at 10:53AM

as posted on the Ormskirk thread

"this is the second loss to them (probably more we don't know about) in the last few weeks.

Parking Eye , after the COA case are now seen as a liability , the publicity for them is not going well.

Owners of car parks are now worried that they will be liable to pay refunds to drivers if the Supreme court goes against them.****

there are also situations in Scotland where car park owners are simply killing the power to ANPR setups managed by CEL , until there court case is finalised.

page 35 of todays "independent" regarding PE

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chip-shop-owner-raises-6000-in-24-hours-to-take-parking-fine-appeal-to-supreme-court-10221661.html?origin=internalSearch

*** a quote from the independent , that must worry car park owners

"If victorious, Mr Beavis might set a precedent allowing millions of drivers to claim refunds from parking companies. Before one hearing Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, a transport research charity, said: “Tens of millions of pounds hang on this case.”

Ivor_Pecheque · 5 May 2015 at 5:37PM

Has anyone in PE asked why?

Not sure, landowner (Fistral) was asked, "sick of complaints."

Umkomaas · 5 May 2015 at 8:14PM

Ivor_Pecheque wrote: »

Not sure, landowner (Fistral) was asked, "sick of complaints."

And they will no doubt have the same experience with Smart.

I wonder whether there is any link where PE are ditching their more controversial sites, and their ex-employee moving in with his new Smart outfit? Tipped off, or pure coincidence?

Early days, but worth bearing in mind as car parks 'change hands'.

Fight_the_good_fight · 5 May 2015 at 8:32PM

Noticed that PE are no longer at Trafford General Hospital the birth place of the NHS unfortunately they have been replaced by new shiny signs from CEL

Ivor_Pecheque · 5 May 2015 at 9:36PM

yes, there's a long way to go.

ParkingEye have disappeared from Kingswood in Hull

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