PCN Excel Parking - Media City Salford Quays

aidan90_2

Hi all,

This has probably been done 1,000 times but I received a PCN from Excel Parking Services in a car park called Media City in Salford Quays.

It said that I could pay 0-13 hours for £3.50. I paid the £3.50 and clearly displayed my ticket on my dashboard.
I arrived at 4pm and left at about 11:30 pm.

I have parked there a thousand times and never received a fine, i have seen others parked there aswell. My fine is £60 rising to £100 if not paid.

I think on the Pay and Display it said that the Car Park shuts at 7pm (There isnt any barriers) I thought that meant that after this time you dont have to pay. I had paid anyway so this is irrelevant.

I have done some research and the threads about this being a scam and no one paying the fines is a bit worrying as I dont want to not pay it and have to fork out £150 later.

any help is greatly appreciated.

trisontana

Your situation is no different to the many others on here. You paid to park, so you don't owe them a penny. Do not contact them and ignore all correspondence from them.

And, by the way, it's not a "fine", it's an invoice, or invitation to pay.

aidan90_2

even if it says that the car park shuts at 7pm? thats my worry.

trisontana

aidan90 wrote: »

even if it says that the car park shuts at 7pm? thats my worry.

Nothing to worry about. In the very, very unlikely event that it does go to court then they can only claim for any material loss. As this was zero then they can't claim anything.

Excel did try court once (in Mansfield) and lost the case spectacularly . This was because the judge ruled that the amount claimed was an unfair penalty that did not reflect the actual loss involved.

aidan90_2

do you know if Excel Parking Services are definitely a private parking company?

has anyone ever been to this car park before? i have called up the media city security team and they do not own it, im trying to get through to the Salford City Council parking team but they are not answering.

trisontana

Still worrying?

Excel are definitely a private parking company. There is a remote possibility that they are monitoring the car-park on behalf of the council, but that's very unlikely.

aidan90_2

How did you guess? :doh:

I just found the pay and display ticket that I had displayed and ive made photocopies just in case. the ticket does not mention anything about the city of salford or manchester, just has Excel Parking Services on it.

Im going to take your advice and just ignore it, bring on the warnings and letters....

Coupon-mad

aidan90 wrote: »

How did you guess? :doh:

I just found the pay and display ticket that I had displayed and ive made photocopies just in case. the ticket does not mention anything about the city of salford or manchester, just has Excel Parking Services on it.

Im going to take your advice and just ignore it, bring on the warnings and letters....

Trisontana didn't have to guess because Excel are a very well-known PPC who do not work for Councils. They hope to line their own pockets, pleeeease don't add to their ill-gotten gains.

We know because of previous threads aplenty about them (this result shows just MSE, there are regular mentions all over other forums too):

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=site%3Aforums.moneysavingexpert.com+excel+parking+charge

Wait for it to load then read some other threads. Then you will know all about them.

Oopsadaisy

aidan90 wrote: »

This has probably been done 1,000 times...

Wrong, over 3500 times on here.

Coupon-mad

aidan90, could you possibly post a link without the http:// showing an anonymised version of the letter you say Excel sent you (as mentioned on the top sticky thread)? We can then add the http:// back in to get a full link.

Very interesting letter, them admitting a scam! :T

You must make sure it hits the local paper - and obviously make it clear to the journalist that PPC tickets are scams even if issued by a twerp in a hi-vis 'liveried' jacket! Send the journo here for a look-see and/or give him the Watchdog link so he knows that this is a classic example of 'the pot calling the kettle black'!

Replies about the letter should be kept here rather than cluttering up that sticky. I find it fascinating that Excel reckon they have exposed a PPC scam!

GrahamPrince1963

Hi All, As per previous posts, Excel appear to have used the ambiguity of the signage at Media City Car Park to issue fines for parking after 1900.

Having been a victim of this I appealed to the British Parking Association and Trading Standards, and BPA have now informed me that Excel admit the amibiguity and will refund the fines and change the signage at the car park.

If anyone has paid fines for parking at that car park after 1900 you should contact Excel quoting the following BPA reference: EX 11-41. You should be due a refund.

Graham