Parking Ticket Appeals discussion

peter_holland

Campfreedy,
Reply:-
I did not purchase anything from the shop on reatil park, but on the day I went back to the shop to complained about this and the manager on the day said he could do nothing within his powers to waied this ticket ?

Campfreddy_2

Try speaking to the retail park manager, rather than the shop manager - they should have details about the company who they presumably employ or at least have an agreement with to come onto their land and issue fines. I doubt very much that the retail park also runs the parking company.

And from what I have seen on the forum, don't pay. Do nothing - let it end up in court, let them prove it. There is another post that deals with private parking (which I don't know very much about): http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/reclaim-private-parking-tickets

Sorry can't help more.

dogsbody321

Seriously, private parking firms have less rights than black rats.

You don't have to do anything - you entered into no contract. They are trying their arm and relying on most people paying up - sure, they will sent some (almost illegal) threatening letters, but in the end they know they would lose in court and don't pursue it.

They rely on people being ignorant of the law - council issued tickets are a different matter.

PaderB

Hi,
this is a bit hypothetical at the moment as it describes my Local Authorities intention to impose parking restrictions.

I live in a block of flats that has recently had a new fence fitted all around the property together with token operated gates which, in theory, should only allow tenant's vehicles to enter. However, this is not the case and frequently residents are unable to park due to visitors, council contractors and others park in the few places available. This has caused some complaint and we were asked by the Council whether we wished to have a parking scheme introduced. It seemed like a good idea to have a windscreen token allowing only authorised people to park there, but that is not the case.

Apparently, no parking permit will be issued unless the driver is the registered keeper of the vehicle. That means that if someone drives a company vehicle (car or van), they will not be allowed to park where they live. It also seems that the Council want to use their own general template for parking schemes that is used in Bristol City Centre. It is proposed that a private contractor will be used. The contractor approached intends to immediately tow away any vehicle causing an infringement as it 'is the only way he can make money on it'.

Infringements include not displaying an authorised windscreen sticker; bad parking in more than one bay; not parking in a marked bay; Not having a current road fund licence (even though this is off road) and that a valid SORN will not be recognised. In effect, if your car breaks down and cannot immediately be made road worthy in order to get an MOT or you are not prepared to forgo unused excise duty, you will lose it.

It is likely that the Council will try to force the parking scheme on us as they have with other schemes that started out voluntarily. Even if it does not go ahead, all we wanted was a simple scheme of windscreen stickers for authorised users.

PaderB

CampFreddy and Dogsbody.
Just a thought, but I was reading up on disabled persons parking the other day and noted that a disabled bay, even on privately owned land, can be enforceable. The owner of a retail establishment can approach his local authority and have the bays made enforceable by the local authority.

Presumably, the bays would have to comply with current required layout, as most do not in retail parking areas, else that in itself might be grounds for appeal in the same way that traffic markings have to comply.

dogsbody321

True, he can use the same rules, but enforcing them would be a different matter, as it's purely a matter between effectivly two individuals. He would have to sue you for the money and the onus of proof would be on him to prove you entered into a contract with him.

That said of course, the police arrested someone for copyright infringement the other week; it seems that when people have money they can get the police to police civil matters where they have no business going....but that's a different matter.

MaryD_2

I parked my car in a bay with a single yellow line running through it next to which was a sign which stated 'pay and display 10am to 4pm' Having parked in various London Boroughs with various schemes operating I decided that I did not have to pay to park at any other time. While sitting in a restaurant with my son and in view of the car I received a ticket. The warden pointed to the ticket machine and said all info was on there - but the signs had been scratched out and could not be read. 4 other people were querying it when I was there and a further 3 had just received tickets like me. I've already sent a first letter to dispute this on the grounds of unnecessarily unclear signage but it was turned down. Surely the council has a duty to make its signs as simple and clear as possible eg 'Pay and Display 10am to 4pm, no parking at other times'. What do you think? I'm still planning to appeal again.

peter_the_piper

Contrary to what has already been said, disabled markings on a private car park have absolutely no legal basis and are just painted lines. This is not to say that just anyone can park there out of common decency but they are not enforceable.
I would repeat the advice given at the start, visit Pepipoo.com and you will find all sorts of information to help you in the fight against council tickets and private parking invoices(not fines or tickets as they like to call them)

dogsbody321

Yep - quite right, on both counts ;-)

campfreddy

I was in Camden the other day trying to park in a street where two out of the three ticket machines were out of order. I phoned the council on the number on the ticket machine to report that they were broken and had eaten my money (they sent me a reclaim form).

I couldn't park further away as I needed to be near my mate's house to load furniture into my car. They advised me not to leave my vehicle while I walked all the way down the road to another ticket machine as I may incur a PNC while I was gone - instead they told me to drive to the nearest machine, buy a ticket and then find a parking space. I did point out that I wasn't going to buy a ticket for a space I did not have.

The trouble is that parking wardens aren't trained well enough and people running the parking depts are idiots. Sometimes it's easier to get the bus..........