A thread not often seen in these parts!

Stigy

Since I joined these Forums I've noticed a clear disregard for certain rules relating Penalty Charge Notices for parking on privately managed land or property. I think company's should posses more legal power in order to enforce such notices. Why should people think they can park for free just because a parking ticket isn't worth the paper it's written on? I pay for my parking because I respect the fact that company's need to make an income. I don't have to like certain revenue making antics, but it's the same in all areas of business!

I work for a well known Train Operating Company (TOC) and part of my remit is parking enforcement. Now although some TOCs don't extend their byelaws to their car parks (I would imagine this is as the car park is leased to the TOC or Network rail, thus making byelaws not applicable), the TOC I work for is covered by the National Railways Byelaws, and as such, any person found to be in breach of these byelaws can potentially be summonsed to court and prosecuted. Logistically it's unfeasable to report all parking contraventions, due to needing to question the offender (most people leave their cars at railway stations all day whilst they go to work).

The only reason I can see why a PCN can't be changed in to a possible report for prosecution (as a Penalty Fare would do if unpaid), is that the parking is managed by another company, and the TOC I work for doesn't deal with this 'in-house' so to speak. Also, ideally to support a prosecution the reporting officer would need to interview the driver when he/she returns to his/her vehicle.

Although a bit of a rant, it's a well justified one I believe!

kwaks

You feel it is OK for private companies to misrepresent the law in order to make a profit?

You feel it is OK for private companies to bully and harrass?

You feel it is OK for private companies to effectively steal cars through clamping?

GillM

kwaks wrote: »

You feel it is OK for private companies to misrepresent the law in order to make a profit?

You feel it is OK for private companies to bully and harrass?

You feel it is OK for private companies to effectively steal cars through clamping?

You feel it is ok to trespass on someone else's land?

Stigy

kwaks wrote: »

You feel it is OK for private companies to misrepresent the law in order to make a profit?

You feel it is OK for private companies to bully and harrass?

You feel it is OK for private companies to effectively steal cars through clamping?

So paying 50p an hour in order to park is unreasonable? I agree that some daily charges are a bit inflated, but we all have to pay our way! You could say the same for any way any comapny makes their money. People will generally take the !!!!.

If somebody parked on your driveway day in, day out, you'd become annoyed and request the Police remove said vehicle, surely? What is the difference in private company's managing their car parks?

As for bullying, well if we all abided by the rules/byelaws set down, nobody would have that perception, would they?

Clamping? Yes, I agree wholeheartedly!

peter_the_piper

I think you will find, if you look deep enough, that no-one on here would recommend trying to park for free when a charge is levied. What we all do dislike and fight against are the made up rules these ppc's come up with to fleece those that have correctly paid.

peter_the_piper

Stigy wrote: »

So paying 50p an hour in order to park is unreasonable? I agree that some daily charges are a bit inflated, but we all have to pay our way! You could say the same for any way any comapny makes their money. People will generally take the !!!!.

If somebody parked on your driveway day in, day out, you'd become annoyed and request the Police remove said vehicle, surely?

As for bullying, well if we all abided by the rules set down, nobody would have that perception, would they?

Clamping? Yes, I agree wholeheartedly!

As you see we agree with your first paragraph.
As for the second, I have yet to hear of anyone doing this and however there is legal redress available.
If the rules were fair and fairly applied then most people would have no problem with them. There's a world of difference between persuading someone to pay and using underhand and bullying tactics to say nothing about downright illegal and threatening ones.

Stigy

peter_the_piper wrote: »

I think you will find, if you look deep enough, that no-one on here would recommend trying to park for free when a charge is levied. What we all do dislike and fight against are the made up rules these ppc's come up with to fleece those that have correctly paid.

I'm pretty sure Parking attendants aren't mind readers though, and a hidden parking ticket isn't "clearly displayed"....Somebody WITH a correct ticket that has taken up two parking spaces through their own mindless and selfish parking, deserves a PCN in my opinion. And those who take up a disabled bay without displaying a blue badge deserve a PCN, even if it emerges that they just didn't display said badge!

peter_the_piper

Yes, to a point I agree. However if the ticket is shown to have fallen then it would be reasonable to cancel as no infraction has occurred. When someone fully covers two bay then its selfish, when they have a wheel barely on the line and get a ticket thats taking the p***. Blue badge infringements same as fallen ticket.

Stigy

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Yes, to a point I agree. However if the ticket is shown to have fallen then it would be reasonable to cancel as no infraction has occurred. When someone fully covers two bay then its selfish, when they have a wheel barely on the line and get a ticket thats taking the p***. Blue badge infringements same as fallen ticket.

Where I respect what you're saying, and fully agree about the two bays thing, as far as fallen tickets go, it's hard enough to find a ticket somebody has placed in their car sometimes, let alone see a ticket that's upside down, on the floor! Regarding the spaces issue again, it's often hard to fathom whether the car you are looking at actually started the "trend" anyway, unless all spaces next to it are full.

Reagrding blue badges, the company who manage our car parks do actually use warnings for undisplayed blue badges, tickets bearly visible or out of date season tickets as a matter of coutesy, then, if you see the same car offending again, it's fair game (monthly or above season tickets have 7-days grace as a matter of courtesy, if they're out of date).

taffy056

Don't think anyone on here endorses not paying to park, I think the landowner has a right to make a charge for parking, and I always pay if I need too, what people advise is not to pay a private company a penalty charge which is not legal.

And clamping will become illegal very soon.

peter_the_piper

The solution to the tickets problem is either a glue that Actually Does work or to have a clip inside the windscreen to hold the ticket. Problem solved.
As you use a ppc to issue tickets then its most unlikely they have the authority to issue under rail bylaws unless the rail company actually runs the parking and just subcontracts the issuing. PPC's cannot use byelaw 14 for their own benefit, all these go to mags court.