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Metro Link Parking Charge
EB2006
Posts: 19 Forumite
Hello
I am hoping that someone might be able to help.
In November 2015 I was going out for my friend’s birthday in Manchester. I parked at the metro link (tram) car park at Brooklands in Sale, left the car overnight and collected it the next morning.
The car park is free. I usually park there when I am working in Manchester city centre.
When I went to collect the car, I had been given a ticket as apparently the car park is only free during metro link hours. I had no idea and as it was pitch black and pouring down, I hadn’t seen any signs. I hadn’t really looked for any as I thought it was free.
I appealed the charge as it was a genuine error & fining someone £X for a free car park, so fairly excessive.
On the 30 day response cut-off date I received an email rejecting my appeal, which I totally missed…..because it was CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Therefore when I received a letter a few months later advising that I now owed £160, I was baffled as I had assumed they had closed the charge. As far as I was aware, they hadn't responded in the allocated time. I had obviously missed the opportunity to appeal further as I hadn't seen the email. I think I was busy watching my children open presents!
I had various conversations with Care Parking and I think they offered me a cheaper fine, around £120 ish. But after that, I never heard from them. Shortly after this, the car park changed policy and allowed customers to park overnight. I therefore assumed that the case had been closed.
On 11 July 2018 – nearly 3 years later – I received a random text from a debt collection agency DRPL, asking me to ring them and simply giving a reference number. I nearly ignored it as I thought it was spam. Had no idea what it was about, but I rang them and they said it was for the metro link charge from 2015 and they were ready to take me to court. I haven't heard from them in over 2 years. They didn't even have my current address. Surely there’s a cut-off point where they can no longer pursue charges?
What do you think? I can imagine I’m not the only one that this is happening to?
Many thanks
I am hoping that someone might be able to help.
In November 2015 I was going out for my friend’s birthday in Manchester. I parked at the metro link (tram) car park at Brooklands in Sale, left the car overnight and collected it the next morning.
The car park is free. I usually park there when I am working in Manchester city centre.
When I went to collect the car, I had been given a ticket as apparently the car park is only free during metro link hours. I had no idea and as it was pitch black and pouring down, I hadn’t seen any signs. I hadn’t really looked for any as I thought it was free.
I appealed the charge as it was a genuine error & fining someone £X for a free car park, so fairly excessive.
On the 30 day response cut-off date I received an email rejecting my appeal, which I totally missed…..because it was CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Therefore when I received a letter a few months later advising that I now owed £160, I was baffled as I had assumed they had closed the charge. As far as I was aware, they hadn't responded in the allocated time. I had obviously missed the opportunity to appeal further as I hadn't seen the email. I think I was busy watching my children open presents!
I had various conversations with Care Parking and I think they offered me a cheaper fine, around £120 ish. But after that, I never heard from them. Shortly after this, the car park changed policy and allowed customers to park overnight. I therefore assumed that the case had been closed.
On 11 July 2018 – nearly 3 years later – I received a random text from a debt collection agency DRPL, asking me to ring them and simply giving a reference number. I nearly ignored it as I thought it was spam. Had no idea what it was about, but I rang them and they said it was for the metro link charge from 2015 and they were ready to take me to court. I haven't heard from them in over 2 years. They didn't even have my current address. Surely there’s a cut-off point where they can no longer pursue charges?
What do you think? I can imagine I’m not the only one that this is happening to?
Many thanks
0
Comments
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oh dear , metrolink , that would come under railway bylaws ??
(look it up on this site)
DRP , utter scumm adding £60 on
DO NOT ring DRP
if this IS a bylaw case , all right to take you to court ceased after 6 mths0 -
Please read the sticky thread for NEWBIES. This tells you everything you need to know about this unregulated scam.
Debt collectors have no powers and cannot take you to court. Only the PPC can do that. Post 4 of the NEWBIES tells you why you should ignore debt crawlers.
Never ever phone a parking scammer or a debt crawler.
All you can do now is wait until six years to pass from the date of the alleged event to see if the PPC start court. Otherwise ignore anything and everything you get.I married my cousin. I had to...I don't have a sister.
All my screwdrivers are cordless."You're Safety Is My Primary Concern Dear" - Laks0 -
PS: debt collectors CANNOT take you to court , of kidnap your cat
the parking co (is this care parking/anchor) cannot take you to court as its bylaw land
the train Co CAN take you to court , but they only have 6 mths to do it0 -
Super - thanks guys!0
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my advice would be to go back and read signs ASAP , hopefully same company
look at writing on them and other signage , look for wording that states "railway Bylaw" , and take pics0 -
Metrolink bye-laws and conditions
https://downloads.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4jq/4V40PymENqaSEGGe6UeaQE/834763600af125ee293852ba35014f6c/15-0728_Metrolink_Access_Guide_2016.pdf0 -
twhitehousescat wrote: »my advice would be to go back and read signs ASAP , hopefully same company
look at writing on them and other signage , look for wording that states "railway Bylaw" , and take pics
Do the above, and don't just look at parking signs either. Go on the Metro Link website. If they have a Contact Us page, ask them who owns the car park and is it covered by byelaws.I married my cousin. I had to...I don't have a sister.All my screwdrivers are cordless."You're Safety Is My Primary Concern Dear" - Laks0 -
Do the above, and don't just look at parking signs either. Go on the Metro Link website. If they have a Contact Us page, ask them who owns the car park and is it covered by byelaws.
https://downloads.ctfassets.net/nv7y93idf4jq/4V40PymENqaSEGGe6UeaQE/834763600af125ee293852ba35014f6c/15-0728_Metrolink_Access_Guide_2016.pdf
the actual car park is listed and comes under TFGM (bylaws)0 -
Hi. Thanks. I contacted Metro Link last week and they forwarded me on to TFGM Customer Service. TFGM have forwarded my case on to KeolisAmey as the contract is between them and Care Parking.0
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That's a shame since Metro/TFGM are the only ones who could take you to court for a byelaw offence. Fortunately it is statute barred after six months, so you should be safe.I married my cousin. I had to...I don't have a sister.All my screwdrivers are cordless."You're Safety Is My Primary Concern Dear" - Laks0
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