Successful complaints about private parking tickets - how to get them cancelled!

Snakes_Belly

If you look at how much we spend at these supermarkets it a hell of a lot over a year. Is it worth upsetting a customer who spends £5000 a year over a minor parking transgression?

Snakes_Belly

"I firmly believe that parking firm infestations are a nail in the coffin of retailers customer base, and they need to wise up much quicker than they do."

In the High Peak (Buxton area) the council give the residents a parking permit for council car parks in the area. This allows free parking on a Sunday and certain hours during the week and Saturday. Even in the winter months Sunday is really busy. More towns should do this.

Umkomaas

Even in the winter months Sunday is really busy. More towns should do this.

Other more insular councils are far more focused on potential income generation via fines than encouraging, developing and supporting the high street retail infrastructure.

Quick_Anon

Reading the recent replies, I find it interesting how we all see the situation compared to how the companies see it.... I say that because today had another reply from ASDA saying the complaints they get relating to PE are few and far between so they will continue to use their services.

How I see things, are that the internet shopping means that less people are on the streets so in order to make more money the stores apply large fines for small parking infringements. Ironically in turn this means that less people will go out to shop which will eventually causes the death of another physical store. Companies need to work with the public to make physical shopping more rewarding or there will be more nails in more coffins over time.

NeilCr

In our area some council car parks are free on Saturdays. But, as I've said before, as I live in a seaside town, everyone is trying to strike a balance between shoppers, workers, residents and day trippers. And we do have parking problems, anyway, with too many cars and not enough parking.

I don't know with supermarkets. It does seem to depend on area. Our local ones (which aren't that big) tend to give 1 or 2 hours free which seems reasonable enough to me - they aren't ones that have big cafes etc where people will linger. If there wasn't some control trippers, local workers and residents would just use them all day and make it difficult for the shoppers. But the control is quite low key as most people (locals anyway) know the limits and stick with them.

But, I know, BeamerGuy has said his local supermarket is never more than half full so you'd question the need for parking control there. Unless they are just p**d off with any abuse.

Umkomaas

How I see things, are that the internet shopping means that less people are on the streets so in order to make more money the stores apply large fines for small parking infringements.

Hardly any store gets even a sniff of the 'fine'. That is all gobbled up by the parking company.

Parking company puts in cameras and signs for free - then gets all the money. In return, the store gets a bad reputation, risks reducing footfall with knock-on effect on their bottom line.

Some may see some benefit (as per Neil's example), but, apart from Christmas or stores with car parks far too small for purpose, I've never seen a store car park that has any apparent serious parking problem - and I'm petty alert to that sort of stuff these days.

NeilCr

Umkomaas wrote: »

Some may see some benefit (as per Neil's example), but, apart from Christmas or stores with car parks far too small for purpose, I've never seen a store car park that has any apparent serious parking problem - and I'm petty alert to that sort of stuff these days.

Me too. In terms of being alert!

My local Waitrose is interesting (apart from being a good shop). I would say, normally, it is busy but there is parking available. Except on Saturday late morning and lunchtime when it is rammed. I walked past today at 12. 45 and no spaces at all. But, I have a pretty regular pattern of passing by so I have no idea what it is like at other times - say 11.00 on a Thursday. Not sure we ever really know the full picture

If the supermarkets get no money from the tickets - genuinely, what is the point of parking control if there are always spaces? Why would you consider it in the first place?
From what you say there would be absolutely nothing in it for the supermarkets..

If the suggestion is that the introduction of PPCs to supermarkets is the main reason (or a reason) for the reduction in customer numbers then end the contract. I find it hard to believe that a supermarket losing business that quickly (and knowing why) would not act. It would be surprising that the contract didn't have a get out clause.

From what I have read there has been a significant rise in online grocery shopping (especially amongst the younger generation). The "budget" supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl are creaming off customers from the more established players. That would certainly tie in with my last trip past our local Aldi (ANPR there!). I don't really buy this PPCs cause big drop in supermarket customers line. Has anyone seen any research to support this view?

Umkomaas

I find it hard to believe that a supermarket losing business that quickly (and knowing why) would not act. It would be surprising that the contract didn't have a get out clause.

Don't have chapter and verse on the get out clauses, but from so much reading on here over the years, there are substantial penalties for cancellation. Look at how Somerfield fared after their big legal case against PE. A gonna!

NeilCr

Umkomaas wrote: »

Don't have chapter and verse on the get out clauses, but from so much reading on here over the years, there are substantial penalties for cancellation. Look at how Somerfield fared after their big legal case against PE. A gonna!

Thanks for that. Made an interesting read!

Took a while to get sorted as well - the law surely moves in slow and mysterious ways. Given the length of time since you'd hope that any new contracts would be better drafted. Still, if supermarkets business is being hit as much as suggested by PPCs, it might be worth the hit to get rid - or wait out the contract. This one was for 15 months so not too awful.

Umkomaas

Often it can be the local manager a bit p1ssed off with a small number of fly parkers, who, after a visitation from a PPC 'suit', offering free dispatch of the small clutch of cars giving him his problem, leaps at their offer.

Problem is, not being the sharpest blade in the knife drawer, and seduced by the 'free' deal he's done with a 'big' parking enforcer, doesn't realise that his next move to save his store will cost him a quarter of a million!

Then wonder why he won't help his customers out! Shafted!