Penalty Notice from UK CPS

emmapieland

Hello

I got a parking ticket stuck to my car window yesterday after parking in a disabled bay in a retail park when I don't have a blue badge. I am not disabled and shouldn't have parked there, I know that. I do have two small children to carry and the parent and child bays were full and there were lots of disabled bays - I wouldn't have parked in one if there was only one left.

The ticket is from UK CPS. I have read lots of the advice on here and can't decide whether I should just pay the £60 now. This will go up to £100 after 14 days of receiving the ticket. I can barely afford the £60 but is it a lot of stress to deal with sending the letters etc when I was actually in the wrong. I know I could appeal it in terms of the cost being unrealistic. Is it unlikely that I would win an appeal if I was actually in the wrong?

Thank you for any advice you may give.

Redx

lose the guilt complex for a start

yes you were in the wrong and possibly deprived a protected person under the EA 2010 from parking there, including me (the BB isnt relevant on private land, but you deprived a protected person, not just a BB holder)

but the punishment does not fit the "crime" and the amounts demanded are extortionate

hence you appeal having read the NEWBIES sticky thread , using the appeal points shown therein which have nothing to do with "what happened on the day"

had they issued you with an invoice for say £12 for parking where you shouldnt, then you should pay it , as its the figure deemed correct at the time by the OFT, but wasnt taken up by the BPA

Dee140157

It is far from unlikely that you would win an appeal. Indeed it is extremely likely.

As Redx says, whilst we do not condone your action and a small charge for the misdemeanour might be appropriate, this sort of charge (it's not a penalty by the way, that is a legal term, it is an invoice) is unacceptable.

We would encourage you to appeal using the information in the Newbie thread (see my signature) but at the same time politely suggest that you don't park this way again. I think just going through this will be enough to put you off using a disabled bay when perhaps you shouldn't without having to pay a £60/£100 charge, so in that sense job done.

So come back and ask any questions you need without worrying what we think.

Stroma

Yes it is a penalty as it's meant to punish you for parking there, that being the case it's unlawful and should be appealed if you are in England or Wales, you do that by using the wording in the sticky thread by coupon mad. If you are not the registered keeper appeal immediately.

And please don't park in parking spaces meant for disabled drivers and their passengers , parking there for them is essential! Parent and child bays are a gimmick nothing more .

Redx

bear in mind if you do nothing this firm will hound you for up to 6 years for payments with them increasing and may even take court action

so appeal, win , and pay some money to a disabled charity

or pay parkingticketappeals £16 to fight it for you, then donate £44 to a disabled charity

or appeal it yourself

your choice

Umkomaas

I'm torn between trying to help and expressing my disgust at the notion that some parents with children feel they have some God-given right to park in a disabled bay if there are no (convenient) P & C spaces available to them.

I don't blame UKCPS for ticketing (they are doing what the landowner has asked, and they are one of the 'nastiest' out there in patrolling disabled spaces), it's their charges and the method of intimidation to collect that are wrong. If anything good comes from this I would hope the OP learns something!

Other than that, OP you should follow what Redx has advised in post #2

Coupon-mad

Umkomaas wrote: »

I'm torn between trying to help and expressing my disgust at the notion that some parents with children feel they have some God-given right to park in a disabled bay if there are no (convenient) P & C spaces available to them.

I don't blame UKCPS for ticketing (they are doing what the landowner has asked, and they are one of the 'nastiest' out there in patrolling disabled spaces), it's their charges and the method of intimidation to collect that are wrong. If anything good comes from this I would hope the OP learns something!

Other than that, OP you should follow what Redx has advised in post #2

Agreed! As a Mum of four, I have no idea why P&C spaces are taken sooo seriously by some parents as if they are a legal right (they are nothing of the sort):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/66225140#Comment_66225140

But to the OP, emmapieland, we win every single appeal against UKCPS so don't pay them. Just see P&C spaces for the gimmick they really are, next time you visit a Supermarket. You do not need to park in a wide bay, none of us parents here parked in wide bays (and I still use the same car now as I drove when my 2 youngest were little, as they aren't that old now and it's a good family car). So things haven't changed, you can park in a normal bay and need never go near disabled bays ever again. Send the template appeal from the newbies thread (top thread on the forum) and UKCPS usually give up straight away without you even needing POPLA stage.

emmapieland

Just wanted to say a big thank you. I got a letter today from UKCPS saying as a 'goodwill gesture' they won't take the matter any further.

Umkomaas

Well done emmapieland, glad this is sorted for you.

Apologies for my rant in post #6, but hopefully you will now also see disabled parking bays in a whole different light in future.