BBC ONE 8pm tonight: Watchdog

Herzlos

Hopefully, it'll at least have made a lot more people aware about the dodgy behaviour and the fact that an appeals service at least exists. Then when they search online they'll find proper advice to defeat it rather than just panicking.

Hot_Bring

Custard_Pie wrote: »

I thought Anne gave it a good go. After all, She isn't as passionate about the scam as we all probably are.

She did state:

1) The process isn't fit for purpose
2) Was as useful as a chocolate teapot
3) PPC's attempt to circumvent PoPLA or just plain ignore it
4) One PPC was sending out fake court papers

Choccy Troy as expected, stumbed through, ignoring every point made and failing to admit to anything.

Showing how deluded they are, the BPA Twitter account suggests Patrick "wet paper bag" Troy gave a good account of himself.

bargepole

I was one of several people contacted by a BBC researcher last week when they were gathering information for the programme. They used very little of what we told them.


Here is a message I've sent back to them today:


Having seen your programme last night, I have some comments which perhaps you could pass on to the Producer.

1. The item on Private Parking Companies focused on a couple of cases involving LPC, and PPS. Both of these are very small fry in the overall scheme of things, and most motorists are far more likely to be ticketed by the big players - ParkingEye, Excel, UKPC, Euro Car Parks and NCP.

2. The "new Sheriff in town", POPLA, is now one of two independent appeals services. The Independent Parking Committee (IPC) has been set up as a rival trade organisation to the BPA, and has a separate appeals system. The BPA will not come down too hard on its members, because they are scared they may defect to the competition.

3. Anne showed an example of a fake County Court claim form. But nothing was mentioned about the 13,500-odd real County Court claims made by ParkingEye in 2013, designed to intimidate consumers into paying unjustified sums, because most people are too scared or ignorant to know how to go about defending them.

4. Nothing was said about the deficiencies of the POPLA process itself. The form gives a very restricted list of reasons to appeal, but in fact there are many other grounds on which motorists can appeal, and if worded properly these are successful almost 100% of the time. The BPA, of course, don't want people to know that.

I could go on and on, but the fact is that was disappointing that so little time was allocated to a subject affecting hundreds of thousands of motorists being ripped off by a cowboy industry, when you spent far more time on a couple of dodgy vacuum cleaner repair men.

The recent four-part documentary 'Parking Mad' on Council ticketing and bailiffs, attracted much attention and good viewing figures. I will stick my neck out and say that I, and my colleagues, can provide you with enough material to broadcast a similar series on Private Parking, should anyone at BBC Watchdog or elsewhere wish to commission such a programme.

bazster

Hot_Bring wrote: »

The BPA have banned two members in the the last year ? Really ???? Nothing like an out and out lie there Patrick.

I just got to watch a recording of it. I was screaming at the telly at that point. <I really must learn not to post here after I've been down the pub> might've formed part of my monologue. Mrs. B. was not amused.

Ivor_Pecheque

Sometimes a nudge, and a push, and another nudge is the best way forward.