Strange POPLA appeal decision

Fruitcake wrote: »

Are there any signs at all now where the vehicle was parked?

[FONT=&quot] Dear PALS Sunderland Royal[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] ParkingEye: xxx[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] POPLA: xxx
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I am writing to you in on behalf of my father, who is in great distress due to what we firmly believe is an unfair parking charge. In a nutshell, we have essentially been called liars throughout the appeal process and we would like this putting right. As you are the landowner, I think it is fair to request that you arrange for this parking fine to be cancelled. Based on the evidence I am about to provide you, I would be astonished if you didn’t find the dishonest and deceitful tactics of your parking contractor abhorrent.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] I have also included my local MP, Sharon Hodgson, who I hope will also find the details of the deceit in this case a cause for concern for the people she represents in government.

To give you some background.

On 4th January 2017, I had an operation at the Surgical Day Case Unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital. I arranged with the front desk that my father would be the one to collect me. When my operation was finished and I had recovered, the nurse kindly called my father to let him know I should be ready to pick up (in about 15-20 minutes). My father made the journey from Washington to the hospital and parked in the designated “pickup/dropoff area”.

Unfortunately, when he arrived, the receptionist informed him that there was a delay in discharging me due to some missing medication. He quickly advised that he only had 20 minutes in the car park. The receptionist told him “not to worry”, that it “shouldn’t be too much longer”. During this time, my father sent me a text message advising of this. I explained to the nurse who was caring for me of the situation. The nurse said (and I’m paraphrasing) “Tell him not to worry, and anyway, those are just invoices. They don’t hold any legal weight”.

In a letter dated 19th January 2017, my father received notice from ParkingEye Ltd advising him that he had a parking charge due to non-payment of parking. However, it contained a bribe that would mean only paying £40 if this was paid within 14 days. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] A follow up letter on dated the 23rd February followed, advising that the full amount of £70.00 was due.

I called ParkingEye and the advisor told me she had a record of all of the signage at this site, and also told me two things:[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] 1. That there is NO designated pick-up/drop-off zone at Surgical Day Care Unit.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 2. There is NO sign to suggest 20 minutes free parking.[/FONT]
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I went to the hospital on 27th February to take a photo of the sign. Please find this attached (originalsign.jpeg)

I then appealed this with ParkingEye. My appeal was, unsurprisingly, unsuccessful. I then appealed to POPLA. My appeal to POPLA was unsuccessful because:[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] 1. ParkingEye advised there is NO designated pick-up/drop-off zone at Surgical Day Care Unit.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 2. The picture that was taken by me, showing the 20 minute drop-off sign, while noted, did not prove it was in Sunderland.[/FONT]
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I now felt like I had to make even more effort to prove my father’s innocence. Today, 14th April 2017, I travelled to Sunderland Royal Hospital with the intention of taking a video of the sign and other signage to prove that this was indeed Sunderland Royal Hospital. When I got there, I was absolutely appalled, and disgusted, to find that the sign had been removed. Clearly, this is a result of my appeal – with essentially the smoking gun being removed. I am sickened and appalled, and my father is extremely upset about this act of deceit by ParkingEye and/or the NHS.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot] I have therefore attached two further items. I have attached a photo of where the sign used to be where wall plugs can clearly be seen where the sign once was (removedsign.jpeg) and a video showing this – just in case ParkingEye try to pull another scam upon hearing of this complaint (locationproofvideo.mov)[/FONT]
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I would also like to add some points. This has caused my father lots of undue stress, who at 60 years old, does not need this kind of upset. He was honest with your staff about his concerns over waiting and was ensured not to worry. Instead he has received months of worry whilst going through this appeal process. We have been called liars by ParkingEye, who should clearly know which signs they have in your hospitals.

I would also like to add that, as we are both taxpayers and contribute to the NHS, that companies such as ParkingEye and their dishonest and reprehensible money-grabbing punitive agenda, do not belong on NHS premises. Indeed - as your Board has no doubt realised but presumably you are stuck with the contract due to someone signing up with ParkingEye for years for your patients and staff to be bled dry - the nasty ANPR camera operation you have allowed here, flagrantly disregards the interests of patients/visitors and staff alike.

Further, this oppressive and aggressive regime flies in the face of the Government's published NHS Car Parking Principles, published some 3 or 4 years ago and further updated to all NHS Trusts in this Health Memorandum:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-car-parking-management-htm-07-03[/FONT]

Sunderland NHS Trust has failed in terms of due diligence with this contract and you have allowed this unsupported, greedy regime to continue, effectively allowing a private company to leech money from patients, staff and visitors with threats of court (and ParkingEye are notoriously litigious). How dare the NHS Trust allow this situation to arise against the Government's clear policy? How exactly do you defend the false 'evidence' that your agent has provided to POPLA to win an appeal against us? What are you going to do to right this wrong for us, and in the long term remove this nasty threat from all sites? [FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] I look forward to your reply and a clear decision that this parking charge will be, rightfully, fully and completely cancelled and a full investigation into this matter with ParkingEye will take place.

Yours faithfully[/FONT]
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ParkingEye

I am writing to you in relation to the following case:
ParkingEye: xxx
POPLA: xxx

You will note that this appeal has been lost by myself, the appellant.

I would like to inform you formally that due to the misleading, dishonest evidence you provided to POPLA, and the further evidence I have uncovered today that suggests my evidence has been hidden (sign taken away), I (via my son) have written to the NHS Trust, and my MP in relation to this matter as a formal complaint.

I will also be showing this evidence to the DVLA and BPA, as well as the press.