parking rules changed, no notices?

knightstyle

So friends park regularly in Marshals Yard, Gainsborough. They parked in a disabled bay yesterday displaying the blue badge. On leaving their friends told them that the rules had changed and blue badge holders now have to pay. They phoned Smart Parking and then emailed to explain they were unaware of the rule changes and that there are no signs in the car park or entrance apart from the ones on the payment machines.
What should they now do?

Ralph-y

hi, and welcome to the forum ....

first thing you do is point them towards the newbie thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4816822

then ...... while they wait to see what 'not so smart' send


second thing is to complain the the retail park management tell them that 'not so smart' and them selves are breaking rules by not displaying parking rule changes , complain to any shops they visited that day ..... do they have receipts ?

tell them not to say who was driving .... IMPORTANT ....

last thing is .... let them no that the use of a PC/laptop makes site navigation easier

tell hem good luck

Ralph:cool:

knightstyle

Hi, thanks for quick reply I did go through the thread but it is all about what to do if you get a fine. I could not find what to do if the rules change, there are no signs about the rules changing and they have not had anything from Smart Parking yet.

Coupon-mad

Why the heck would anyone RING a parking firm? Do people not know the industry are like rats hiding in corners; notoriously nasty companies? There is no customer service ethic nor 'parking management' genuine care - such firms exist to help themselves and make money.

Hi, thanks for quick reply I did go through the thread but it is all about what to do if you get a fine. I could not find what to do if the rules change, there are no signs about the rules changing and they have not had anything from Smart Parking yet.

But they don't need to do ANYTHING until they get the fake 'fine' then they send the NEWBIES thread appeal in blue writing which you've been directed to, NOT SAYING who was driving!

Tell them to stop picking up the phone and calling a firm you can't reason with...and tell them even if they'd dropped the Blue Badge on the floor and not displayed it, there would be NO fine they should be thinking about paying. The 'discount' is NOT an option.

fisherjim

So did they get a PCN on their windscreen?
If not why are they contacting a scummy PPC?
Any first point of contact for clarification/complaints should start here:

http://www.marshallsyard.co.uk/contact

knightstyle

Thanks both. I have told them this, I don't think they have stated who was driving. There was no ticket on the windscreen, their other friends got a "fine" in the post for this and paid straight away!!! There were pics of the car entering and leaving the car park. They are now writing to Marshals Yard about this.
I have told them not to pay and will follow the thread when the letter arrives.

fisherjim

Ahh, it comes clearer, so it would appear that the scum ppc has installed anpr, which will obviously catch everyone.
There should be warning notices to that effect all over the car park, it is also stated on the web site only that "disabled spaces are available" not that they are free.

If this is a recent change, they should allow a bed in period, get on to the centre management its their authority that allows ppc infestation and they must have given permission for the anpr system.

Anpr is only beneficial to the ppc, no one else, it's another part of the cash milking culture.

They need, no patrols no vehicles, just a dodgy computer, with remote cameras. No wages to pay, no bonus to pay, no monitoring of anything but times and vrn's easy pickings.

And never assume blue badge holders gets free parking, that assumption crops up weekly on here, I don't know why, you don't get free groceries, why expect free parking, (though I understand in this case this was a bit of a trap).

knightstyle

Thanks again, I will keep in touch and see what happens next.
It is a recent change, here are pics.

http://s1040.photobucket.com/user/mycaravan/media/Marshals%20Yard%201_zpsmp07mswh.jpg.html
http://s1040.photobucket.com/user/mycaravan/media/Marshals%20Yard%202_zps1hz3tv7a.jpg.html
http://s1040.photobucket.com/user/mycaravan/media/Marshals%20Yard%203_zps0gxcnaet.jpg.html
http://i1040.photobucket.com/albums/b403/mycaravan/Marshals%20Yard%203ajpg_zpszwsbbojh.jpg
http://i1040.photobucket.com/albums/b403/mycaravan/Marshals%20Yard%204_zpsjrwnhoyt.jpg

fisherjim

Yes pretty dire isn't it, no signs at entrance, no signs at disabled area, one small indication that blue badge owners must pay but not until you get out of your car, maybe take ten minutes to get a wheel chair out, and maybe too high to read from said chair.

A PCN charge figure buried in small print, and war and piece written in minute font partially obscured by the pay machine.

It could take 15minutes for a less abled boddied person to even get to that point!

Oh and wait, is that a tiny notice on the board next to the pay machine needing a magnifying glass to read it showing some kind of camera or ANPR or CCTV or something warning, surely not it would be far to late, too small, and against regulations to leave it up to that wouldn't it?

Now if I thought that these car parks were managed by scammers, scumbags, liars, or greed infested twisted Muppets, I might think this was all done on purpose to trap unsuspecting motorists, but of course in the fair minded, controlled, civilised society we live in that can't be can it?

A major stink to the management if you ask me!

Coupon-mad

There was no ticket on the windscreen, their other friends got a "fine" in the post for this and paid straight away!!!

Madness. That's why this industry exists, because of the gullibility of the great British public. Astonishingly stupid (sorry, but it was).

zoonyx

Just to add, this used to be a company-run car park with decent 'security guards' doubling as parking attendants who were almost from a different era - "can I just pop into halfords for 5 mins?" "yeah fine" etc.

Such a shame.