They ticketed an MP

The_Deep

I was fined for parking in my own space. Letters were sent to me and I appealed. There was no reply to me then or on a second occasion. I received no further information about the matter. I made it clear that I was the legal user of that space and was entitled to use it, and I gave my address and stated that I was appealing the fine. My permit, I think, had slipped slightly to the side of a window and could not be seen by the operator.

Only months later did I discover that multiple legal letters from solicitors’ firms and so on had been sent to a previous address of mine that had been secured from the DVLA—a key issue at the heart of the Bill. Essentially, I was being taken to court for parking in my own space, unbeknown to me, because I did not receive any of the correspondence until the landlord of the place where I had been living sent me the pile of letters. Too many of my neighbours and too many of my constituents have had very similar experiences—some of them to the extent where, on a point of principle, they have refused to pay the fines and refused to engage with the solicitors’ letters. Some have even found themselves on shows like “Can’t pay? We’ll Take it Away!”—all for parking in their own space.

Stephen Doughty MP Cardiff South

Charles Watling MP has even suggested that these scammers may have links with organised crime.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-07-19/debates/2b90805c-bff8-4707-8bdc-b0bfae5a7ad5/Parking(CodeOfPractice)Bill(FirstSitting)

I t is all looking a bit more promising.

Umkomaas

Isn't that from the February debate TD?

The_Deep

Committee Stage, 19th July, 2018. Although he may have said it in February as well. IMO, it cannot be repeated too often.


Is he the MP for the UCHW nurses?

Half_way

any chance Mr Stephen Doughty can be pointed here, for some help, advice, and a little education on what and how PPC land opperatesm

Umkomaas

Half_way wrote: »

any chance Mr Stephen Doughty can be pointed here, for some help, advice, and a little education on what and how PPC land opperatesm

He's well aware of the scam - he was absolutely the most prolific and on the ball contributor in both debates. Definitely 'on message'.

Coupon-mad

Actually, it occurs to me that the suggestion that some of these thug firms (some of whom have criminals running them, and/or are ex-clamper scum - Levi Bellfield was a clamper and they were never upstanding members of the community) could be funding organised crime, is wort pushing in MP complaints.

We need to play dirty, as the PPCs do. This national scam isn't going to be beaten by being gentle.

Suggesting that the atrocious shameful amount of money going through PPC coffers - with NO VAT being paid in most cases - could be exploited by organised crime, is a fair and reasonable assumption to throw at MPs.

Whether it's true or not, who knows, and I am not naming names and very much doubt the bigger players are caught up in crime - but I'd be surprised if none of the smaller firms aren't also scumbag crims.

waamo

Given some have criminal convictions it's not a far leap to say that they may be involved in funding crime.

Coupon-mad

Exactly, and that sentence should go into every complaint we tell people to make to an MP!

Let's do it.

beamerguy

waamo wrote: »

Given some have criminal convictions it's not a far leap to say that they may be involved in funding crime.

Agreed ....... do the BPA worry about that. .... doubt it

Forget the IPC bunch and the Gladsones scam set up, both belong behind bars anyway

waamo

beamerguy wrote: »

Agreed ....... do the BPA worry about that. .... doubt it

Forget the IPC bunch and the Gladsones scam set up, both belong behind bars anyway

I asked the BPA about it once. Their reply was that they could monitor their members and provide scrutiny and increased supervision so that future offending could be prevented.

I asked what increased monitoring occurred for offenders and they didn't answer. I asked a few times just in case they didn't get the request.

The DVLA said it was a matter for the BPA.

Draw your own conclusions as to the issue of increased supervision. I couldn't possibly comment.

kryten3000

Meanwhile the IPC are busy trying to paint themselves as respectable and trustworthy. Their annual conference tagline was "raising the bar" (not difficult when the bar is lying on the ground).

They also had a break-out session for Local Authorities entitled "IAS as an alternative to TPT"