UKCPS parking charge

SunTan123

Hi All

Just need some advice, i have read the newbies thread for the parking charges but my case is a little different and i cant see any info on what to do in this situation so i just wanted some clear cut advice on how i can tackle my parking charge.

I was parked on double yellows in Urmston town center, for less than 3 minuets. I ran into a local shop with a friend who suffers from type 1 diabetes and needed a sugary drink as she was experiencing a hypo (i know these circumstances wont effect the charge or get it dropped, i'm just giving a full account of what happened).
On return to my car i had a parking ticket for £100, or £60 if paid within 14 days.
This is where i found my case is different, as i emailed the company straight away, appealing and explaining the circumstances around what had happened. I received an email back which said they would write to me by post within the next 7 days.
On 21st i received a letter form UKCPS (i'm trying to work out if this is classed as the NTK) saying my appeal was rejected and that i need to pay the 'charge' before 4th September.
Can any one advise what my best move is?
Should i send the template letter which has been posted in the Newbies thread, or have i ruined that process by already emailing?
Im aware that i was parked on double yellows which isnt allowed, but i did not see any parking signs (as i was rushing like hell) and im trying to work out if its legal that a private company like UKCPS can give a ticket for a parked car on a public road??
Sorry if iv posted wrong or there is already info about this, i'm new trying to learn the ropes!
Any advice is greatly received.
Thanks in advance

bazster

It is absolutely not legal for a private company to issue tickets on a public road. However, it's both legal and commonplace for yellow lines to be painted on private roads (albeit they don't mean anything).

So you need to contact the relevant council and find out whether this is public highway, or a private road that just looks like public highway.

Did they send you a PoPLA code?

SunTan123

thanks Bazster for your reply.
no signs of PoPLA code on the letter i received, just issue number, reason for issue, reg number, location and date. Then a few paragraphs about how i still have to pay.
it says in the letter the land is private for use of permit holders and pay and display use only. but im unsure if this is true and ill try to find out now.

bazster

Right, so while you are getting answers on that you also complain to BPA Ltd. and DVLA (addresses in the newbies sticky) that UKCPS has sent you an appeal rejection without a PoPLA code, in contravention of the BPA Code of Practice.

Redx

you will see a discussion on what are public and private roads, and demarcation , in this thread here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5012271

either its a public road and UKCPS have no jurisdiction, or its a private road that you thought was a public road, in which case they may have jurisdiction subject to landowner agreements, and signage etc, so may have passed or failed the BPA CoP

not issuing the popla code breaches the BPA newsletter and CoP from jan 2014 , so as mentioned above, if this is correct, report them, but double check all the paperwork first , just in case its buried in there somewhere (its happened many times before that people say its not there when it was)

Coupon-mad

It's highly UNLIKELY that this is anything other than private land but the easiest thing is to send an email to the BPA (see newbies thread) and complain:

1 - that UKCPS have rejected your challenge but not given you a POPLA code and
2 - that this appears to be public highway.

Then the BPA can investigate. They'll confirm it's private land and you'll get your POPLA code without much sweat.

This is where i found my case is different, as i emailed the company straight away, appealing and explaining the circumstances around what had happened. I received an email back which said they would write to me by post within the next 7 days

Are you telling me that UKCPS now offer email as an option for appeals after all these months?

Did it appear on the PCN as a valid contact for appealing? What is that email address please?

Have you given the game away all about what happened and who was driving?! I hope you've seen NOT to appeal like that to POPLA unless you want to lose?

SunTan123

Im still overly confused about wether its public or private, and what this means in relation to my ticket? is it better if it was public?
I'm trying to find the bit on Newbies link for the complaint to BPA about PoPLA.
And yes i told them about the situation and i was the driver, what have i done? is this really bad? i did not know that was an issue, or these forums even existed until i received the rejection of appeal letter and began to look on the internet for the rules and regs of private parking companies.
For the moment, is all i need to do is contact BPA regarding no PopLa code? the final day for the payment to UKCPS is tomorrow and i'm really worried! Have a messed up all chances of getting out of this silly ticket?
Sorry for all the questions and possibly stupid statements but i am very new to all this and trying to understand as much as possible. I appreciate all of your help!
P.S - just trying to find the email i sent the email to regarding the ticket initially! Will post once found!

Dee140157

Im still overly confused about wether its public or private, and what this means in relation to my ticket? is it better if it was public?

Yes it is better if it was public, but it probably wasn't. Have you tried to find out from local council yet?

I'm trying to find the bit on Newbies link for the complaint to BPA about PoPLA

Post 6 of newbie thread for Steve Clarks email address. And you are complaining about the PPC not about POPLA. You are complaining that you haven't received a POPLA code.

And yes i told them about the situation and i was the driver, what have i done? is this really bad? i did not know that was an issue, or these forums even existed until i received the rejection of appeal letter and began to look on the internet for the rules and regs of private parking companies.

A minor issue, you can still do POPLA appeal as driver and win

For the moment, is all i need to do is contact BPA regarding no PopLa code? the final day for the payment to UKCPS is tomorrow and i'm really worried! Have a messed up all chances of getting out of this silly ticket?

No you haven't messed up chances. Not yet.

Follow C-Ms advice on post 6.