Metro Centre Gateshead rip Of

GOLDWING

Thanks to your site and your comments I am confident that ignoring these modern day highwayman is the right thing to do.

Having become the latest victim of a UKPC parking fine I am finally starting to get annoyed and intend to send the following to every newspaper, radio station in the area and every shop in the Metro Centre in Gateshead.

I will let you know if the information gets into the public domain

Metro Centre Gateshead generates £1.7 million in Parking Fines every year

Having just been targeted by the parking fiends in the Metro centre who feel they can threaten and harass people in a free car park I have done some research that may be of interest.

First of all in my case there arrogance has cost the metro centre almost £2500 in lost sales ( I went in to spend serious money with M &S)

The metro centre management have not had the decency to respond to my e mail

So I decided to follow one of their Unmarked vehicles around the metro centre in Gateshead.
I have seen these individuals hide around corners waiting for people to leave their cars and then sticking a ticket on them, sticking tickets on disabled drivers and people parked in family spots.

At no time was any attempt made to help or advise people and it was obvious that there only commitment was to making money.

It was interesting to work out just how much money the Metro centre and UKPC are generating from this attractive scam.

I followed their van around the Metro centre for just over 1 hour they ticketed over 15 Cars. Let’s be conservative and say that its 10 per hour and the metro centre is open for 8 hours per day (actually more) and for 365 days per year.

This generates a colossal sum, in excess of £1.5 million pounds per year.

What a great feast it must be for the company and the metro centre management and what a rip off for the customers who go to the centre because of the free parking.

It’s an absolute disgrace and one that should be exposed.

Its no wonder they try so hard to harrass and frighten people when you see the money at stake ( 2 men in a van generating £1,5 million its got to be money for old rope)

Especially as there main advertising is based on the supposedly Free parking !!!

I am not sufe if it will help but I hope it has some effect

Thanks for all of the inoformation :cool:

give_them_FA

Frightening figures even if only a small proportion actually pay. Next time go round putting little leaflets directing the drivers here for advice, under the tickets. That may be effective!

But I hope it gets taken up by some local media.

trisontana

You have made one big mistake by calling them "fines". They are no such thing, they are just invoices. To use the "f" word gives them the status they don't deserve.

give_them_FA

The media would have referred to them as such anyway. They always do.

esmerobbo

Hence why these companies will never be an answer to parking, they want people to park contravening one of their silly rules.

If it was about stopping abuse the attendant would not hide in an unmarked van until someone parked incorrectly then ticket them, they would point out the supposed contravention!

Our local Asda don't have a PPC but over Xmas they bring in TCP who do a good job just marshalling the traffic, works a treat.

Also with the sort of money they must be milking off people I wonder why they bother with their silly threats after the first couple? Also their silly claims especially UKPC of court victories.

mentalmungo

I got a parking charge at the metrocentre a few weeks ago. Got my first begging letter yesterday. I must admit, it looks good, even threatening debt collection etc etc.

Is it worth writing back politely telling them that i'm not paying, or is it better just ignoring them?

Kite2010

Ignore the PPC and ignore the metro centre, telling your friends/family/work colleagues to do the same.

give_them_FA

If you write, make sure that you put "cheque enclosed" at the top of the envelope and then don't put a stamp on it.

That way it will cost them about £1.50. They don't generally bother to carry on if you do that.

Kite2010

Or send it to "Accounts Payable", might make them think of collecting it.

notgotenough£

Hi

Reading this thread with interest. In January I had to take my two sons to a birthday party at the metro centre and being in a rush, parked in the area that is set aside for car washing. Cant think how to type why I parked where I parked, but needless to say if I had known that there were fees enforceable for parking in the space I parked in, I would not have parked there! Now I go to the Metro Centre ALOT, living 5 mins up the road. I have seen the UKPC signs but never had reason to read them and never thought that there would be 'fines' for parking in what it a FREE CAR PARK!! This was in January and so far we have ignored all the letters we have been sent, however now we have had the Notice of Intended Litigation and we are starting to get nervous and just want to check we are doing the right thing just ignoring it all? Any advice, thanks in advance??

give_them_FA

Yes, you are doing just fine. Remember that they send this correspondence out to try and frighten you into paying. Now, if they had any legitimate, lawful means of enforcing their charge, they would do it, wouldn't they? Not talk about it....

So, "Notice of Intended Litigation"? Utter rubbish. A promise they won't keep.

Hundreds of thousands of drivers give these scammer companies the V-sign each year. Join them. Not long to go now before they slink off into the night, their demands for cash unrequited.