Flatbed Van over two spaces - Fine

Jadee

Good morning all

I am hoping someone may be able to offer some knowledge.

I work for a fabrication company and we are working on a large construction site in Coventry. The only parking available to the workers is a car park that requires payment right next to the site.

We have been working there since before summer and this is likely to continue for another few months. We have always paid for the permit via the MiPermit phone app/company credit cards.

Recently, the chaps have been getting fines for taking up two bays (it's a long flatbed van). So they have now been paying for two spaces (but you have to use two different vehicle regs to do this) and have left notes in the window to cover this.

Again they have been fined.

On the fine paperwork there is no phone number to talk to anyone.

We have no issue paying for the fines, but need a solution as to where to park. We are trying to cover ourselves by paying for two bays.

I am not savvy with parking laws/fines etc and this has landed on my desk to try and find a solution. Other than trying to find somewhere else, I don't know what to say. But they have fabricated items on the back of the truck so need to be near site.

Any ideas?

Thanks

onlyfoolsandparking

First of all its not a fine, its an invoice from a scamming parking company.


You say its the only car park available, is there any connection between the site you are working on and the Landowner of the place your parking? if so a special dispensation could be achieved for parking there. The scammers wont care what reasons you have to park there, its private land and they are allowed by the Landowner to issue their invoices to anyone that doesn't adhere to their (usually stupid and petty) rules.


Alternatively does the main contractor have any connection with the car park? another route to explore and get the scammers to back off.


Failing all common sense approaches and outcomes you will have to fight these invoices legally, its the ONLY way, don't bother pleading your case to the scammers they really don't care!


Which scammer is it? that is the first thing the experts on here need to know.

The_Deep

We have no issue paying for the fines,

You should have, it is a scam.

It is the will of Parliament that these scammers be put out of business. Hopefully that will take place in the near future. In the meantime involve your MP, the poor dears are buckling under the weight of complaints about these scammers. Read this one which I wrote earlier

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially Smart}, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week), hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem has become so widespread that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers.

Sir Greg Knight's Private Members Bill to curb the excesses, and perhaps close down, some of these companies passed its Third Reading in late November, and, with a fair wind, will become Law next year.

All three readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 6-7 hours), and published in Hansard. MPs have an extremely low opinion of the industry. Many are complaining that they are becoming overwhelmed by complaints from members of the public. Add to their burden, complain in the most robust terms about the scammers.

Jadee

Thanks for the replies.

The fine is from Coventry City Council (http://www.coventry.gov.uk/directory_record/11430/cox_st).

I don't believe the contractor has anything to do with the car park. It's just down to convenience.

I am not in possession of all the facts. My director is really just wondering if there is anyway we can park there (over two bays) without being fined.

Unfortunately, I think he will just pay the fine as it's quicker/easier than fighting it.

Half_way

it's a good job you havent phoned then, as that can be one of the worse things you could do.

who issued the parking charges?
lease answer the questions in post#2


edit, council ticket.
is this construction job for the council? is this the official car park for the site?

onlyfoolsandparking

So its a Council owned car park, that is at the very least much better than the private scammers and these ARE FINES! but good news they are likely to be much cheaper than the private invoices.


Personally I have always been in favour of paying Council fines IF I have done wrong so no problem if you want to pay BUT I would suggest you at the very least ring the Council and ask if they can give dispensation for parking there, in my past I worked in many City/Town centres with large glass shopfronts and had to park outside of the rules many times, I never got any tickets as I pre warned various Councils of my intended work AND quoted Health & Safety rules especially working near the public.


A bit more work on your part needed here, an offer to pay current fines, a request for special permission, dispensation, call it what you will and you should be good to go.


At least the Councils will listen unlike the private parking scum who are just chasing the dollars!

onomatopoeia99

I look forward to The Deep getting Coventry City Council closed down as an "entirely unregulated industry" that is "scamming the public" :rotfl:.

onomatopoeia99

The_Deep wrote: »

We have no issue paying for the fines,

You should have, it is a scam.

(boilerplate spam snipped)

No, it isn't.

onlyfoolsandparking

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

I look forward to The Deep getting Coventry City Council closed down as an "entirely unregulated industry" that is "scamming the public" :rotfl:.

How would he get Coventry City Council closed down?


Do you know something we don't?

Jadee

onlyfoolsandparking wrote: »

So its a Council owned car park, that is at the very least much better than the private scammers and these ARE FINES! but good news they are likely to be much cheaper than the private invoices.


Personally I have always been in favour of paying Council fines IF I have done wrong so no problem if you want to pay BUT I would suggest you at the very least ring the Council and ask if they can give dispensation for parking there, in my past I worked in many City/Town centres with large glass shopfronts and had to park outside of the rules many times, I never got any tickets as I pre warned various Councils of my intended work AND quoted Health & Safety rules especially working near the public.


A bit more work on your part needed here, an offer to pay current fines, a request for special permission, dispensation, call it what you will and you should be good to go.


At least the Councils will listen unlike the private parking scum who are just chasing the dollars!

Thank you. I have passed on your suggestions to my directors