UKPC MetroCentre Gateshead

Jimtheslim

Guys_Dad wrote: »

I disagree slightly with c-m on this. I think that a letter to the MetroCentre saying effectively "I want you to let me off a parking charge because I nicked a disabled parking space" will not and does not deserve to get the ticket cancelled. Particularly if it is written as a complaint!

In your initial post, you hinted at "the bay is a very underhanded disabled bay position". This should be the mainstay of your letter to them and it might help you if you did post up the draft of your letter to the landowner for forum views.

They have have a section beyond a pedestrian walkway where you can see disabled bays are clearly marked. Before this walkway is a line of standard spaces, the very last space is a disabled bay on it's own. They have chosen not to paint the sides of this bay in red like the others and as 'the driver' approaches along the line of traffic they cannot see the disabled sign on the floor (painted in yellow on concrete) as they have chosen to paint it in the middle of the space rather than the bottom, closest to the lane. As you approach from 90 degrees this is invisible as the line of parked cars completely blocks the view of the space and anything painted on the floor. If the driver chooses to reverse in, they cannot see it. Given the ticket was issued within minutes of 'the drivers' arrival I am suspecting they keep a keen eye on this particular space. There must be at least a dozen or so disabled bays on this floor, only a couple being in use, so I was hoping to argue that I have not cost the centre any lost revenue due to a disabled person not being able to park.

As for reading a draft email I apologise for suggesting that I take up people's time, I thought I had seen a thread where someone had commented that people would be happy to check draft letters etc...my bad.

Do the landowners have the power to cancel a ticket?

Guys_Dad

Seems to me that if you put that lot in the letter - photos would help enormously - then you have a point.

Forget using the lost revenue (not) point. That is irrelevant for Disabled Parking spaces. Simply go on your other points.

Meanwhile, make a similar appeal to the PPC but obviously in the 3rd person. Point out that they have used a standard for disbled bays to differentiate them from standard bays and this bay is in standard colours.

Make a big thing of the signage and hidden yellow lines . In view of your detailed post above and the fact you have got the relevant points, you look good to go, but the not costing you any money won't help. In fact, if the park was half empty, you have the point that you had no need to use a disabled space and wouldn't if it had no been obscurely marked.

Jimtheslim

Thank you, yes unfortunately I don't have a smart phone so couldn't take photos, however it's not too far to go back. Hopefully The layout of cars is the same and the space unoccupied as the driver found it so I can photograph it as 'the driver' saw it. I am confident that the photos will show that it would be highly unlikely for an average person to be expected to see that the space was reserved for disabled drivers.

I have had a good read of the template letter suggested for the PPC, should I go further to include photos and a description of the 'incident' or just stick to the text religiously?

Fruitcake

Jimtheslim wrote: »

Thank you, yes unfortunately I don't have a smart phone so couldn't take photos, however it's not too far to go back. Hopefully The layout of cars is the same and the space unoccupied as the driver found it so I can photograph it as 'the driver' saw it. I am confident that the photos will show that it would be highly unlikely for an average person to be expected to see that the space was reserved for disabled drivers.

I have had a good read of the template letter suggested for the PPC, should I go further to include photos and a description of the 'incident' or just stick to the text religiously?

If you are confident you know what you are doing, include the points about unclear signage of the disabled bay with your template appeal letter stating that is why the driver didn't see this money trap.


If you aren't sure, copy and paste the BPA template in blue exactly as it is and send it around day 25-26 as already advised.


People here will help you with this but you have to do the legwork. Sending a complaint to a retailer is a simple letter writing skill so that is why it has been suggested you do this yourself. You could post it here yourself if you want and you may get some advise, but you must be very careful not to say anything about who was driving.


The regulars are always wary of getting PM.s from people with low post count as they have no way of knowing whether there is an alternative agenda.


Parking companies monitor this board and all it takes is a screen grab of a post saying "I parked... " and another post saying "the time and date on the ticket was ..." and you have given away the driver's details.

Coupon-mad

As for reading a draft email I apologise for suggesting that I take up people's time, I thought I had seen a thread where someone had commented that people would be happy to check draft letters etc...my bad.

Sorry for any confusion, we do help with draft letters every day but not normally by pm.

Jimtheslim

Thanks everyone. Just one more (hopefully) question. Should I put my complaint into the Metro Centre now or do it as the same time as my appeal to the PPC? Would they have the power to quash it or is it up to the PPC to keep pursuing it regardless of the wishes of the landowner?

The_Deep

Now, PPCs are a law unto themselves.

Jimtheslim

For anyone reading this I just wanted to say thanks for all the info on this site. The kind people at the Metro Centre listened to my complaint about the poor visibility of the disabled bay that the driver parked in and when I put the ticket number into UKPC appeal site it says it is cancelled in full so I didn't even need to go through the appeals process. I've obviously saved a screen shot of this for further reference.
So anyone who is looking this up and feels aggrieved by the poor signage at the MC (in this case the painting of the disabled sign so far up the bays that they are not visible to driver approaching from 90 degrees) I would say it is definitely worth going to them first via their contact link on customer services tab. They stated in their reply that they are revising their disabled parking bay signage which suggests I am not the first to fall foul of this particular parking bay.

Umkomaas

Well done Jim, proving that the oft-raised advice here to complain to the landowner can be the easiest and most complete and final way of getting rid of a PCN.

beamerguy

Jimtheslim wrote: »

For anyone reading this I just wanted to say thanks for all the info on this site. The kind people at the Metro Centre listened to my complaint about the poor visibility of the disabled bay that the driver parked in and when I put the ticket number into UKPC appeal site it says it is cancelled in full so I didn't even need to go through the appeals process. I've obviously saved a screen shot of this for further reference.
So anyone who is looking this up and feels aggrieved by the poor signage at the MC (in this case the painting of the disabled sign so far up the bays that they are not visible to driver approaching from 90 degrees) I would say it is definitely worth going to them first via their contact link on customer services tab. They stated in their reply that they are revising their disabled parking bay signage which suggests I am not the first to fall foul of this particular parking bay.

Well done:beer:

Another failure for the UKPC fraudsters