Parking With Ease charge - advice needed!

Fredolow

<original message has been edited to remove sensitive information>

Hi everyone,

It's been many many years since I last had a parking ticket, but that changed when a 'parking charge - Notice to Keeper letter' popped through my letterbox on Saturday from a company called ’Park With Ease'. Given the circumstances around this charge I thought it best to seek some advice from anyone on here that understands the legalities of a charge like this.

I took a trip to the Lake District a few weeks ago. Parking charges in the LD, for anyone who doesn't know, are both extortionate and EVERYWHERE. Most come in the form of the regular Pay and Display type. However, this one car park we went to had something I'd never seen before - a camera captures your number plate when you enter and you key your plate number into a machine when you leave. The machine then tells you how much you owe based on the time it recorded you entering.

So we wandered off to walk the dogs and I didn't take note of the time thinking the machine had it in hand. When we came back I went over to the machine and keyed in my number plate. The machine then informed me that it couldn't find my plate in its records. So I tried again, and again. Still no joy. At this point I gave up and left.

So on 10th Sept this letter arrives. On the letter it accurately states the times that I parked and departed. These may be correct, I don't know... and I'm not sure how they'd know either seeing as their machine didn't record my arrival. I can understand how they got my plate leaving, but if they knew what time I entered why didn't the machine bring it up and tell me how much I owed?

They didn't provide any photographic evidence of my arrival or departure, so I have no way of telling if their claim is true. What I'd like to know from any experts on here who can help is where do I stand legally on this? Do they have sufficient grounds to make this demand? Do I have sufficient grounds to request photographic confirmation of my arrival/departure times? Should I just pay the fine and put this down to experience?

Any help/guidance that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The_Slithy_Tove

Was this a Lake District National Parks car park, or Lowther Estates, both of which use Park With Ease, but appear to have different approaches to non-payment? Lowther cases have been known to progress to court, while we've not seen a single LDNP case to do so (depends on the contract PWE have, but I suspect that LDNP don't want to see the kind of negative publicity their venture with ParkingEye went). Signage is also crucial, as, again, they differ, with LDNP ones being a bit vague about what the charges will be.

Incidentally, the same happened to me in Hawkshead, where the system appeared not to have picked up the vehicle, as it was not found when I tried to pay. However, I checked online later in the day, and it was there and I was able to pay the correct fee.

Castle

If the parking event happened on 17 August then the NTK must be received by you by 31st August; which clearly it hasn't. Therefore only the driver could be liable.

What date is on the NTK?

Fredolow

Thanks for your replies. The car park was at White Moss, Rydal. I checked online and it seems to be owned by the LDNPA. I guess it's my own ignorance that I wasn't aware you could check online

The date on the NTK is Sept 6th. When they don't know who the driver is, only the keeper via the DVLA (I presume), what's the best course of action.

Thanks again guys for your help. Really want to know where I stand on this and don't want to end up with a court summons, massive fine or being blacklisted at a later date 😕

Fruitcake

Fredolow wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. The car park was at White Moss, Rydal. I checked online and it seems to be owned by the LDNPA. I guess it's my own ignorance that I wasn't aware you could check online

The date on the NTK is Sept 6th. When they don't know who the driver is, only the keeper via the DVLA (I presume), what's the best course of action.

Thanks again guys for your help. Really want to know where I stand on this and don't want to end up with a court summons, massive fine or being blacklisted at a later date ��

If the signage at the car park didn't tell you that you could check online, then it is not a case of your ignorance but a case of the parking company having inadequate signage.

Please read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES then send the IPC template letter you will find there. Don't amend it, and don't miss the appeal deadline. Don't reveal the driver's details under any circumstances.

You could add that they have failed to transfer liability to the keeper as their NTK is too late to meet the requirements of POFA 2012, so they must take this up with the driver who you are not required to name.

Lastly, it is not a fine, it is a speculative invoice.

Fredolow

Thanks Fruitcake. I'll follow your advice and check the sticky you mention. To be honest the signage may have been somthing I missed. It may be there, I just can't recall.

Sorry, I know it's an invoice I just get the correct terminology confused from time to time.

Thanks again.

Coupon-mad

The PPC isn't called 'Parking With Ease', it's 'Park With Ease' as already mentioned (you need to get details right as you may end up defending this at a hearing). Hope you realise once you've read the NEWBIES thread, that it's one challenge then ignore the debt collector letters. But searching the forum for 'Ease' as the most unusual search term will show you they do sometimes try a small claim, just so you know. We are currently helping people with defences.

Thanks again guys for your help. Really want to know where I stand on this and don't want to end up with a court summons, massive fine or being blacklisted at a later date ��

You won't get a court summons because it's not 'prosecution', not a crime.

You could get court papers (not a summons at all) but they cannot morph the daft charge into a 'massive fine' and nor can your credit be blacklisted unless you miss court papers or ignore a court deadline. So, ignore DEBT collector letters but not a solicitor's letter.

You will see examples on this forum already - or Google 'Park With Ease Gladstones'.

Oh, and please now edit your first post - you will know why when you read the NEWBIES thread. You've given too much information!

Northlakes

The landowner for White Moss is Lowther Estates. Some internet references refer to LDNP ownership but I'm certain they are wrong.

This site was leased for many years to the NT but Lowther Estates now have it back.

With Park With Ease car parks, checking online that you have paid the correct payment is always the best idea.

I do have photos of the signage at this site if you need them.

The_Slithy_Tove

Northlakes wrote: »

The landowner for White Moss is Lowther Estates. Some internet references refer to LDNP ownership but I'm certain they are wrong.

You are correct, it's Lowther Estates. That car park comes up quite a bit. Last time I was there, there was just enough room to park outside the car park in the muddy patch adjacent to the side road by the car park, thus avoiding any charge :-)

Northlakes

That 'muddy bit' is a very popular spot and in summer you need to get there before the ice cream van!
There is also a lay bye further up on the right A591 towards Grasmere which is handy and just hop over the wall to the footpaths.
Another good free spot is the lay bye on the right just after the roundabout, then walk on the path into Grasmere across the sports field.

C_Mababejive

This new system is terribly confusing for many parkers. I too have been in this car park and luckily i decided not to stay once i realised that it was no longer the old NT pay and display but was run by crooks.

I checked the website and paid the minimum charge.

Its so remote im surprised it is still in working condition.

I have read of numerous cases involving these anpr car parks in the lakes