Not parking in bay, apparently

that_northern_guy

Here's a new one for you (possibly). After getting a parking ticket last week I have decided I do not want to pay these blood sucking parasites any money if possible and have been researching the best way to go about this but have not yet come across any information that matches my situation, I am curious to find out if I have I have inadvertently fallen into a grey area or if I should just pay them as that would be the most painless option.

My situation is as follows;
I booked a ticket to go on a ferry leaving from Hull Docks to Rotterdam and was going to be gone for 4 days. I drive a pretty long van, it is a long wheel base high top van and doesn't fit in a standard parking bay (it usually takes up one and a half bays, but it is not so big that you cannot drive it on a standard license).

I couldn't find the car park so I pulled up and asked a member of the P&O cruise staff, now I should mention at this point by "pulling up and asked" I actually mean, wound down my window and shouted to a member of staff on the opposite side of a fence, he confirmed I was looking for the long stay car park and pointed me in the right direction (so it's safe to assume he noticed I was driving a huge van and not a Cinquecento).

At the outdoor car park there was no parking spaces designed for long vehicles (and with it being a high top I could not fit in the underground car park either) so I choose the most appropriate parking space. I parked up in a regular car parking space with the back end of the van overhanging the pathement behind it, I did however leave more than enough room for a pram to get past.

I bought £26 worth of car parking tickets and left. A few days later when I get back I find a £100 (£50 if paid within 14 days) "Parking Charge Notice" on my window from 'Premier Parking Solutions' (PPS) and two cones at the back of my van. The reason why I was charged: "Unauthorised parking".

Now I appreciate that the parking signs said only park within your bay area blah blah blah, but I had no option because they did not provide a parking space big enough for my vehicle, and it's not like I took up two spaces so I did not cost them any extra revenue.

I have made zero contact with Premier Parking Solutions as of yet, although their "Parking Charge Notice" does state they are members of IPC so I am fully expecting some junk mail off them soon, but my question is this;
Do I completely ignore all correspondents and wait for them to hopefully give up, complain to P&O Cruises (who I assume own the car park) since it was member of their staff who told me to park there, pay their stupid fine then drown my sorrows in the pub or make first contact with Premier Parking Solutions (thus giving them my details that they might not yet have)?

Fruitcake

All the information you need is in the Sticky thread for NEWBIRS.

The parking company are IPC members so you should read the relevant part of the NEWBIES then send the IPC template letter you will find there.
What happened when you parked is irrelevant.

You then have the choice of ignoring everything you get for the next six years, or make a pointless IAS appeal to their kangaroo court then ignore everything for the next six years.

This assumes you live in England or Wales, not elsewhere in the UK.

Do not ignore, do not reveal the driver's identity, do not miss the appeal deadline, but don't appeal too soon. You aim to get the template letter to them jus before their appeal deadline expires.

All is explained in the NEWBIES.

Was there any mention of Byelaws, as port authority land is often covered by them which makes things easier for you. Only the port authority can issue court papers, and then only for trespass, and then only within six months. The idea therefore is to drag things out past the six month deadline, or six years if it is not covered by Byelaws. It's important for you to find out.

that_northern_guy

Thanks Fruitcake, I must have missed that paragraph

Fruitcake

It takes some digesting so take your time. If the alleged event was only a week ago you have a while yet before you reply.

Meanwhile have a look further down the page at the CCJ thread, and write a letter to your MP and the PM as suggested, or adapt the letter already provided.

You can post images here if you upload your PCN to a web hosting site (not in your real name and with all personal info redacted) such as tinypic or photobucket. Post the URL here but change http to hxxp and someone here will change it back to a live link for you. As I said, it is important to know if the car park was covered by Bylaws.

Coupon-mad

Make first contact with Premier Parking Solutions.

It might be useful to email the booking team at Hull Docks and ask a hypothetical question, not telling them about any PCN or that you've been there! Tell them what vehicle size you have and ask if it is acceptable to park that size vehicle in the long stay car park and if you do, is there anything else you would need to do to prove authorisation, or is the display of a paid-for ticket enough to prove 'authorisation' to park a longer vehicle, as long as no other parking space is inconvenienced?

I think their reply could be interesting and if they say 'no it's fine as long as the vehicle doesn't overlap two bays'. That would then allow you to reply and hit them with what's happened AND you can attach their reply to your challenge sent to PPS (a 'going through the motions' appeal really).

Read the NEWBIES thread including post #3 of it, explaining why IAS is not recommended.

that_northern_guy

@Coupon-mad, I took your advice about contacting them;

My email:
"Hi there, not a complaint, just a general enquiry.
I have a long wheelbase van, I know there is a multi-story carpark at the P&O Hull Docks but most times this type of van is too large to fit under the barrier.
Is it acceptable to park this sized vehicle in the outdoor long stay car park, and if I do, is there anything else I would need to do to prove authorisation, or is the display of a paid-for ticket enough to prove 'authorisation' to park a longer vehicle there, obviously as long as no other parking space is inconvenienced?
Thank you"

Their reply:
"Thank you for your email.
I can confirm that you will just need to park in one of the outside areas surrounding the multi-story car park. You won't require any authorisation to park in these areas."


...so seeing as I parked at the first available parking space in the open air car park, directly at the entrance to the multi-story it seems like what they have just said directly goes against the reasons why I was given a ticket in the first place (ticketed for "unauthorised parking").

I guess the next step is to launch a complaint with the land owner/ retailer.

Coupon-mad

Make first contact with Premier Parking Solutions.

Yes and send a copy of that email with an 'appeal' to PPS, writing only as the keeper.

Nice to know you can now prove the parking was authorised by the docks, perfectly acceptable!