Parking Lie @ my local supermarket

keepitlegal

My local supermarket have started using parking lie, signs say the maximum time allowed is 2.5 hours.
I emailed there customer services and asked if the time limit applied to disabled drivers who are displaying a blue badge, several days later I got a reply saying it did not apply to blue badge holders provided they were shopping in the store. This concerned me as parking lie use ANPR so how could they know I was displaying a blue badge. I emailed again asking for confirmation that I would not receive a PCN for overstaying the 2.5 hours, the reply I got (on the same day) was that the 2.5 hours also applied to blue badge holders.
Not wanting to receive ANYTHING from parking lie I had to resort to emailing the CEO to ask for someone who could give me the correct info, got a reply this morning saying the 2.5 hours maximum parking time applies to everyone using their car park, however if I thought I needed extra time I should contact the customer service desk to allocate me more time! ANPR!!!
In the days before Christmas this store gets very busy, so busy that they have people in the car park to point to available spaces, I wonder what will happen if I go to the customer service desk and ask for further time after I have been there for say, 2 hours 27 minutes? Time will tell.

Edit. Forgot to ask, should disabled people be given more time under the equality act?

catfunt

keepitlegal wrote: »

Edit. Forgot to ask, should disabled people be given more time under the equality act?

Yes!

Though PE could argue that 2.5 hours for a supermarket shop is enough time.....

trisontana

So are there notices in-store or in the car park telling disabled motorists of this exemption?

keepitlegal

trisontana wrote: »

So are there notices in-store or in the car park telling disabled motorists of this exemption?

If you mean, disabled motorists should inform the customer service desk for more time.......no, the first I knew of this was in the email this morning.

Redx

keepitlegal wrote: »

Edit. Forgot to ask, should disabled people be given more time under the equality act?

DEFINITELY

how do I know ?

I have just had a similar confrontation with ASDA where PE have just taken over from SMART in the last few months

The EA2010 says the retailer must make "reasonable adjustments" so a BB holder (or more specifically an EA2010 qualifiying person) should be allowed more concessions (more time in this case) than joe public

in my area the council and local hospital interpret this into giving people who qualify (usually BB holders which isnt totally right) ONE EXTRA HOUR on top of the parking time , thereby you could say they have met the EA2010

when asda fobbed me off about the BB "syndrome" stock in trade template type of replies I pointed this out at the local store and also to their Head Office in Leeds (using online complaints on their website) and the Head Office stated the local store C/S/ DESK should add my VRM to a whitelist once I presented a BB. the local store knew nothing about this at all so was back to square one.

a further complaint was made to head office at which point they asked for my VRM, added it to the whitelist and after further enquiries were made they said it is a "global whitelist" and covers all stores

see their final and most recent replies below for clarification

Response By Email (S*****) (03/11/2016 09.07 AM)
Hi ************,

Thanks for your reply and for providing that information for me.

I've passed this over to my colleague in charge of the white-list. I've asked they confirm for me when you've been added and also asked about the other Asda car parks. As soon as I've got confirmation of this from her, I'll get back in touch to let you know.

Thanks again for getting in touch and I'm please I've been able to help you.


Response By Email (S****) (09/11/2016 09.12 AM)
Hi ************,

Thanks for your patience whilst I've been waiting for confirmation on that from my colleagues.

I'm pleased to say that you have now been added to our global whitelist meaning you will not receive a parking ticket at any Asda store nationwide.

Thanks for taking the time to email me again, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

Kind regards,

S***** B********
Asda Service Team
0800 952 0101

like you , I was originally told that I could ask the C/S/ DESK to get more time if I required it , the C/S desk knew nothing about this and when told that they would have to inform PE head office as cameras enforce the car park times they had no idea what they should do, or how

plus there are NO SIGNS up either outside or inside the local store explaining any of the above , I asked and if you dont ask , you dont get , plus it took several weeks to get to the above written email exchange , I assume because its something they are just implementing as PE take over from SMART

stick with it until you get something similar, or at least an extra hour more than the "able bodied" customers which would be the bare minimum under the EA2010 in my opinion

I have seen at least 2 threads on here in the last few months where "whitelists" were used or offered

one was either LIDL or ALDI and the VRM was added to a whitelist

the other was MATALAN where the VRM was added to a whitelist but had expired after 12 months and the OP did not realise they had to renew it annually with the C/S/ DESK at Matalan

I knoew about neither despite having shopped in those stores

Half_way

What use is a white list when/if the disabled person may be in a different vehicle, the only viable solution is to get rid of ANPR cameras that are unable to detect people who qualify for reasonable adjustments under the EA.
Its about time that one ( or more) of the major supermarkets were taken to the cleaners over the use of ANPR cameras by their agents in their car parks, but until then everything will just bumble along as it is doing now, complete with a few new posts each day along the lines of I've been fined for....

Redx

I totally agree , but I got some way by fighting my corner , plus can still go in a different vehicle and display the BB in the usual manner (which doesnt allow me the EA2010 benefits as you correctly point out but I would have ammunition to fire at the C/S DESK or the local manager if needs be)

it was hard work getting this far , plus I did warn asda that I would consider an EA2010 court claim to "test the waters" if I received a parking charge that was not justifiable , they were also warned that I would seek say £1500 and the bare minimum would be at least £500 if I was successful in my claim and the claim would be against both parties , (Asda and PE as they are both jointly and severally liable)

there is no easy answer at the moment , which is why disabled people have to fight for their rights individually , especially since the green card registration was withdrawn by the DWP

I doubt the DCLG will fully address these issues when their overdue report comes out

pappa_golf

how can thier be a whitelist across all branches? , there are at least 3 different parking Co,s involved.

and as clearly pointed out the blue badge can be used in ANY vehicle

asda , you are plonkers and this WILL come back to bite you

Redx

that is what I thought when I read it , it does say GLOBAL whitelist and it indicates that ASDA did the work, not the PPC so not sure how they are managing this given they have several contractors !!!

but as I have it in writing with incident reference numbers we shall see what happenes if I ever get a pcn in any asda car park

perhaps the OP is referring to asda in his local supermarket ?

maybe not , but he is free to use the info to try and negotiate a deal with their CEO or head office, whoever it may be

in answer to his question , yes is the answer, because I used the same arguments and got the above "deal" with asda

trisontana

With the lack of signage to this effect how are other disabled motorists going to learn of this "whitelist"?

keepitlegal

It is Asda, I intend to reply to my email from them, I'm not satisfied they are making adjustments for disabled shoppers.
One further point, do the cameras at the entrance and exit require planning permission if they are on Asda's land? Two cameras are on lamp posts and I'm unsure if they are maintained by Asda or the county council.