Private Parking Industry Hits back blog discussion

Paul_Herring

sporedude wrote: »

Yep I agree with this for cases such as what your saying. Cant wait to see the high horse brigade jump all over this.

As presented, there's nothing to get upset about with that one.
1) Notices were placed, and clearly visible.
2) Drivers had adequate notice that it would be enforced.

[Deleted User]

savemoney wrote: »

You will find that some supermarkets actively tell BB customers to use P&C spaces when BB spaces are full

I accept there is a need for P&C spaces but not for older children. Having kids is a life choice, having a disability often isnt

Right. You are saying that its just tough if you have kids then? I bet you'd make a pregnant woman stand on bus because its her fault she got like that !!! LOL.:rolleyes:

savemoney

No I didnt say that, I have kids too. Did you actually read my post "I accept there is a need for P&C spaces but not for older children"

I wouldn't let a pregnant woman stand if I could


[quote=[Deleted User];24588859]Right. You are saying that its just tough if you have kids then? I bet you'd make a pregnant woman stand on bus because its her fault she got like that !!! LOL.:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Coupon-mad

bargepole wrote: »

This blog seems to have wandered off topic...

Returning to the main point of this, which is the BPA's letter to Martin, and his response, it is noticeable that nobody from the BPA has contributed to this blog after over a week, or tried to defend the actions of firms who issue private tickets.

Well said. :T

Let's stick to the point of this thread. The 'people power' building up on MSE against Private Parking Notices will ony have effect if we don't turn it into an Arms 'discussion'.

This thread is not about disabled bays and parent/child bays is it? If someone wants to talk about those issues there are plenty of old threads to reply on if posters are so inclined.

jansingleton

I got a ticket earlier in the year from UKPC. It was for £45 if I paid withint 14 days or £90 if not. It was given to me in a "FREE" car park, My fatal error was parking (yes I know its wrong) in a disabled space. In my defence it was not the closest disabled space to the shop and there was a high ratio of disabled spaces in this car park, approx 8 in a approx 26 space car park and no other free spaces. I was in and out of the shop in no more than 3 minutes but that was enough time to get a ticket. I read all the forums on UKPC and was very tempted not to pay when I read all about the baliffs and taking you to court and in the end did pay it more out of the disabled space aspect. I did contact the local Trading Standards and was informed that UKPC were being looked into as there was loads of complaints. I also emailed Parking and Traffic Appeals Service and was sent this reply.

Dear Ms xxxxxxx

Thank you for your email received at this office on 10 June 2009

Unfortunately, I do not think the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service will be able to assist you in this matter. The Parking Adjudicators were established to consider appeals against Penalty Charge Notices and the clamping and removing of vehicles by local authorities exercising their powers under the Road Traffic Act 1991 and the Traffic Management Act 2004 on the highway or in Council run car parks. Penalty Charge Notices, which identify the issuing Council, the contravention and the vehicle, must always be issued before further enforcement is taken.

From the situation you describe it seems that your vehicle has been issued a Penalty Charge Notice by a private clamping firm If this is the case, the Appeals Service has no jurisdiction in the matter and is unable to be of assistance. I suggest you contact the company/organisation concerned to investigate procedures for challenging the charge.

many thanks

Case Management Team
Parking and Traffic Appeals Service
PO Box 279, Chertsey KT16 6BU
Tel: 020 7747 4700 Fax: 0844 736 9503

To: PATAS Team
Subject:

Hi there,

I wonder if you can give me some advice. I have recently been given a parking ticket by a private company UK Parking Control They were operating in a FREE car park. I parked in the free car park. Out of 24 car parking spaces 8 of them are disabled, as there were no free spaces I parked in one of the disabled spaces away from the shop. There were 4 close to the shop and 4 a short distance away. I know that this is wrong, that's why when I got given a ticket by UKPC I paid it. It does seem to be a high ratio of disabled spaces to parking spaces. These spaces cover two shops - Boots Clearance and Next Clearance Claps Gate Lane, London E6. Could you please look into UKPC as from what I read on Internet Forums people seem to refer to them as running a Mail Scam. The ticket cost £45.00. Please see link for forums on the subject of UKPC.

Regards

psdie

A massive thank you to Martin for crusading on behalf of the public good on this matter.

Of course there are circumstances when parking fines are justified; however, ticketing every car in a row because one person parked over the line (causing a knock on effect); attendents on commission waiting in hiding ready to pounce; charging excessive rates for parking in the first place; and charging fines that are disproportionate to the original rule breach - all with no independent arbitrator to go to - is unacceptable.

The BPA should have seen this issue coming years ago and dealt with it then. Instead they have been exposed as an ineffective puppet trade body with no interest in assisting customers treated unfairly by their members. Thank you to Martin's for your welcome intervention on this, and your reasoned and diplomatic response to the BPA.

Coblcris

ProfessorX wrote: »

A few months ago I was given a PCN for parking too long in my local Lidl's car park. I would have thought they'd be glad of the custom. However, having challenged it I was told that the legal authority for the Parking Management Company's actions [Euro Car Parks] was a case from a 1995 High Court decision in Arthur and another (his wife) v Anker (the PMC). !!

Anker was about parking a car without authorisation and is so easily distinguished that it is completely irrelevant to a stuck on Notice.
I encourage readers to see the case and carefully see what it says and what it does not say.

It seems popular among these companies to misquote Anker but is that surprising.
Has anyone ever seen truthful and accurate letters from these companies ?

What puzzles me is how the misuse of Anker became so widespread in this industry.
There may be ground for suspicion of conspiracy in my opinion.

As a point of general information the clamping company in Anker was Armtrac - a well known miscreant.

Trading Standards and the OFT are fully conversant with this industry. But centrally, most branch offices are sadly somewhat lacking.

trking

Me too, same place, same circumstances. After hunting around the web I realised that I didn't have to pay so I ignored them. They wrote legal looking letters, phoned my mobile, asked me to provide a receipt to prove I shopped at Maplin! I ignored them and it's gone away.
I chatted to the two parking attendants on duty a few months ago (I started to speak to one and the other one ran over in case I was going to bash him and they said they'd had so many complaints they don't do this any more. Lucky for them, as I was just about to head into Maplin and speak to the manager about the situation, along with a list of the 100's of pounds of goods I've bought from them over the years so they knew how it would impact them that I was no longer shopping at their store because of their parking company's behaviour. I think you should do the same thing. The retailers need to feel the pain of hiring dodgy parking companies.

O_Miserly_one wrote: »

I received the only parking ticket I have ever had in 36 years (and not an "official" police ticket) just over two years ago in Farnborough, Hampshire, at the Solartron Retail Park. There are three car parks in the vicinty of the retail park, the park itself, another a short walk away for B&Q and a council Pay & Display another short walk away for ASDA which, I hasten to add, is a long walk from the retail park so is the best option if you have a lot of food shopping.

I got the ticket because, having shopped in Maplins, one of the Solartron stores, I then walked out of the retail park to go to B&Q instead of driving the short distance.This was a heinous crime and I am sure I would have been hanged on the spot if they had physically caught me. It is the modern equivalent of mob rule and rough justice.

There were very few cars parked in this car park so it was easy for the attendant to lurk unseen until he saw me leaving.

In this case there is a clash between the two ideals - "illegal" parking and environmental concerns. But no-one - neither the council nor the Solatron Retail park are interested in the environmental aspect, so neither am I now and I drive everywhere I possibly can. I felt this ridiculous fine was really unjust, as everyone who gets one probably does, but when I read them, the notices did say this was an offence so I gritted my teeth and paid up. Strangely enough, none of the retailers know who employed the company - just vaguely "the landlord".

I vowed not to go back to Farnborough to shop since that occasion nearly two years ago. I know the retailers in Farnborough don't give a damn whether I go there or not, but it makes me feel good. It's a dump for shopping anyway.

So why would a parking area set aside for customers of the stores, of which I was a regular up until that fateful day two years ago, need to be classified "private" when it is clearly for the use of the public shopping there? It beats me but it does seem counter-productive for shops that are apparently desperate for sales.

I-LOV-MONEY

Coblcris wrote: »

Anker was about parking a car without authorisation and is so easily distinguished that it is completely irrelevant to a stuck on Notice.
I encourage readers to see the case and carefully see what it says and what it does not say.

Where can we see this case ?

bargepole

I-LOV-MONEY wrote: »

Where can we see this case ?

Here: http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/index.php/t15055.html