Berry head, Brixham

RobinofLoxley

I visited Berry Head the other day and had look at the car park to see if anything had changed since I received a PCN from Premier Park for this car park last year.

Lo and behold Premier Park aren't scamming there now, Park With Ease have taken over.
I wonder if PP got kicked out by the Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust who manage the site.

PP were very aggressive issuing many PCN's mostly for alleged overstays. I won at POPLA, though I wonder if this means they will still be pursuing claims for existing unpaid PCN's. I know there are people who lost at POPLA and were being harassed by debt collectors and threatened with legal action.

I would be surprised if PP do continue without the landholder behind them.

With the new ParkWithEase system, the driver is supposed to enter their reg. no at the machine on exit and the length of time parked is calculated. The display then tells them how much is owed for the time parked. This should at least rule out the prospect of getting a PCN for an 'overstay'.

Funnily enough though when I was there the machine wasn't allowing payments to be made either by coins or card. It does give you the option of paying online within 48 hours. There were several confused and annoyed drivers.

Umkomaas

Change of predator, no change in number of victims. I would confidently anticipate no more, no fewer newbies coming our way over charges at Berry Head.

Just a different [STRIKE]brick in the wall[/STRIKE] snout in the trough!

RobinofLoxley

Umkomaas wrote: »

Change of predator, no change in number of victims. I would confidently anticipate no more, no fewer newbies coming our way over charges at Berry Head.

Just a different [STRIKE]brick in the wall[/STRIKE] snout in the trough!

Unfortunately you're probably right. At least the number of PCN's for overstays should drop dramatically with the pay on exit system.

IIRC don't ParkWithEase have form for faulty machines? I wonder how many of the motorists who were unable to pay when I was there forget to or are unable to pay online and so receive a PCN.

The new PWE signs there are woefully inadequate but I suppose in IPC/La La land that doesn't matter to them. I will put up some photos of them when I get chance.

Coupon-mad

Yes, please do.

I recall that Premier Park used the scam of photos taken outside on the approach road - not even any proof the car crossed the blinking threshold, yet POPLA found in favour of PP occasionally and the Lead Adjudicator famously decided that 'within 29 days' was less non-compliant than 'within 28 days,' so he would let it go...even though he admitted the date calculation was ambiguous.

He then got round criticism of not interpreting ambiguity in the way that MOST favours a consumer, by saying (effectively) he had done, because he said his decision was the most favourable for consumers - that they lost their appeals?!

RobinofLoxley

Coupon-mad wrote: »

I recall that Premier Park used the scam of photos taken outside on the approach road - not even any proof the car crossed the blinking threshold.!

Yes that's correct, their photos captured the car outside of the car park boundary and on the public road!
I presume PWE have installed their own cameras and we won't know where they are lined up until somebody comes on here after getting a PCN.

RobinofLoxley

Here are some photos of some of the new signs now Park With Ease have taken over the operating of the car park, from 22nd June I believe.
Sorry like a numpty I took some in portrait mode and can't seem to be able to display them in landscape mode.!







As you can see they are woeful. Especially the 'Contractual Agreement' part right at the bottom of the sign which is in a tiny font compared to the rest of the sign.

Coupon-mad

Yes, I had to really search the sign for the £50 'charge'! What a mess the entrance sign is and it still calls it a penalty - that photo might be useful.

To be fair, it allows people 48 hours to pay the tariff after leaving and you only pay £25 as the reduced charge.

Almost an example of a decent regime, if the £50 was more transparent.

RobinofLoxley

Coupon-mad wrote: »

To be fair, it allows people 48 hours to pay the tariff after leaving and you only pay £25 as the reduced charge.

Yes not a bad system but you can only pay up to 48 hours after leaving the car park online. If you don't have access to the internet you're stuffed. When I was there the one terminal on site was faulty and wouldn't accept payment with coins or card. There were quite a few confused and disgruntled people wanting to leave but couldn't pay for their parking and one couple said they didn't have a computer or internet access.