Meteor railway ticket

DonDanbury

Hi, Im new to site and sadly have a parking ticket. I have read the newbie thread and think that I understand most of it.

I have paid for a weeks parking ticket but due to maintenance many of the spaces were taken. So for most of last week I had parked in the 'wrong' place. Low and behold Friday 13th had a nice ticket waiting for me :T

As it is Meteor, the advice seems to be to appeal as keeper after 21 days?

My car is a company car and belongs to a rental company that seem to pass on charges to the customer. Im not sure if this means that I should approach this any differently?

The_Slithy_Tove

As you state, you must appeal yourself, and ensure that the actual Registered Keeper is kept out of the loop, else random, excessive charges will be magicked out of the air.

Parking charges at railway stations can be problematic, as the PPC often tries to use Byelaw 14 as a way of pretending it's a penalty, and prosecution could occur if you don't pay. So:
* Which Train Operating Company is it
* Does it claim it's a Penalty (that exact word) or simply a parking charge
* Does the parking charge talk about Byelaws
* Does it mention Protection of Freedoms Act

Coupon-mad

Definitely appeal at day 21, which will stop them writing to your company at all but you are going to have to say you were the 'keeper' at least. There is an argument to say you 'should' even consider outing yourself as 'driver' to be 100% certain that Meteor cannot say they 'didn't know who was driving' and then they could send out a Notice to Keeper to the registered keepers.

It's a tough one. If it were me I would actually say out yourself as the driver to be sure. The reason for this is that you will still win at POPLA re 'no GPEOL' because there is no loss.

Is the Meteor ticket a 'Penalty' or a 'Parking Charge'? I think they had form last year for issuing a 'Penalty' as if it was under Bylaws, then treating it like a private PCN. Not allowed.

Can you show it to us please?

You can't post working links yet!!

So you just remove the http or put space in it.

jkdd77

For once, I partially disagree with Coupon-mad, in that the 'appeal' letter, which I certainly agree should be sent in order to avoid the hire company paying the invoice and charging an 'admin fee', should, in my view, name the keeper only and not refer to the identity of the driver.

Meteor's parking invoices are issued relating to land on which parking is subject to byelaws, whether or not actually enforced, so RK liability can never apply, and naming the driver could actually, at least in theory, open the driver to a byelaw 14 prosecution, albeit that Meteor won't actually do this.

Coupon-mad

Yep it's a hard one to decide. I realise the appeal from a driver would be throwing away the argument of 'no keeper liability' and also that's partly why I asked to see the PCN and if it is a 'Penalty' or not. It will make a difference to our advice.

Some certain bylaws do state the 'owner' can be liable I think, certainly Newcastle Airport bylaws say that, IIRC, as I read them recently - but then UKPPO don't know their 'A' from their elbow so the POPLA appeal in that case was still fun to write exposing all the holes.

DonDanbury

Thank you all, its really appreciated.

We have a family business so wont get any problems at work (i hope!) but its more the principle of it all.

* Which Train Operating Company is it
London Midland

* Does it claim it's a Penalty (that exact word) or simply a parking charge
I dont see either, it states that I have breached their t&c's and required to pay a sum of £45/90.

* Does the parking charge talk about Byelaws
Not that I can see

* Does it mention Protection of Freedoms Act
Again, not that I can see

image: s11.postimg.org/gqszyfk1f/park.jpg

Coupon-mad

We have a family business so wont get any problems at work (i hope!) but its more the principle of it all.

Good, as long as the car isn't leased then NO NEED to admit who was driving, in fact write in the name of the keeper (even if it's the business name).

What is the heading of the ticket? 'Parking charge Notice'? 'Penalty Charge'? 'Contractual Breach' or something like that? What exactly is it called? Does it offer POPLA as the next stage appeal?

I can't convert the link as am at work. Someone else will I am sure.

The_Slithy_Tove

Northern Rail are about the only TOC that does prosecute under Byelaw 14, and that requires them to ticket themselves, not get some PPC to do it in their own name.

Even if, as it seems, Byelaws are not being used, it doesn't mean they don't apply on the land, thus making it outside the scope of POFA, and therefore Meteor cannot claim keeper liability. This is why the appeal should be as "keeper", not as "driver", as you have already realised.

Breach of Ts&Cs makes it a relatively easy one to defeat once it reaches POPLA.

DonDanbury

The ticket says: NOTICE OF BREACH OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARKING AT ANY CAR PARK OWNED OR MANAGED BY METEOR PARKING LIMITED ON BEHALF OF
London Midland

Hello, just to be clear the car is leased to my family business. I dont need to worry about our lot at work but do need to worry about the lease company i think.

Also, we usually buy tickets line and last week i had purchased a week long ticket. Its not pay and display, but all done on registration numbers. So in theory they know who we are already.