Parking Eye Grafton Street Car Park

Angrydriver0404

'Pay on Exit' I would expect to be issued at ticket to do so. I have previously come across temporarily 'out of order' ticket machines and found entry and exit unbarred at that time.Three other confused car park users spoke to me on the day also thought the entry ticket machines out of order. (See images I posted in Google review of Grafton Street car park) Just received a penalty notice from Parking Eye. They say there are ample signs that say 'Pay on Exit' and 'Have You Paid?'' These sign are in every car park as is numberplate recognition. Yet not one sign says ' No Tickets Issued or Required to Exit'
Parking Eye should be completely transparent to all users and in fairness to the many who are using this Hospital car park for the first time to visit a sick loved one, and are unfamiliar with ticket-less pay on exit, the polythene covered entrance ticket machines should be clearly marked with the notice:
“Tickets to exit are not required. Use you car registration number at the payment machines on exit”
So many complaints from hospital visitors on line over the last year about this exact same issue at Grafton Street Car Park. It is unbelievable that Parking Eye have failed to investigate and address the confusion caused by polythene covered entry ticket machines without any information on them as to the reason.

The_Deep

I suggest that you refer this to your local Trading Standards Department, PALS, and your MP.

IIMU that, if a barrier is up, it is reasonable to assume that the payment machine is not working. Read this

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

The whole industry is a scam, relying on threats of court, and the public's ignorance of the Law, A bill is currently before parliament which will regulate the scammers, many of whom are ex-clampers.

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 Second Reading in the Lords this month, and, with a fair wind, will l become Law later this year..

All five readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 7-8 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.

Carparkfury0404

Received PNC from Parking Eye. Appeal turned down. Started appeal with POPLA and also sent email and images of obsolete entry/exit machines to PALS. PALS did the trick! Got a call from them telling me they had instructed Parking Eye to cancel the PCN. Received confirmation from a Parking Eye in the post! Happy days!!! Woo!Hoo!

Coupon-mad

It is unbelievable that Parking Eye have failed to investigate and address the confusion caused by polythene covered entry ticket machines without any information on them as to the reason.

Do you really think that? PPCs feed off confusion and it is often deliberate.

So glad to hear the PALS complaint worked though!

Did you write to your MP about this local scam? Please take the time to do so.

Silverdriver

I used the Grafton Street Car Park a few weeks ago, for the first time in a year, and was surprised to see the entry ticket machines covered up. On leaving I saw folks paying at the ticket machine, so I entered my car registration number, and paid the monies due. Great was my surprise when I received a penalty notice for £70, discountable to £35 if I paid immediately. I appealed as I had already paid, and gave proof of the payment. My appeal was rejected on the grounds that the car park is now not a public car park, but a hospital ]staff car park, and therefore I did not qualify as I am not a member of the hospital staff. There was no notification that I could see anywhere that this car park is now a hospital staff car park, and so I was going to appeal again against the rejection. However that said that if I paid without appealing I could still receive the £35 discounted rate, but if I appealed and failed, then I would have to pay the £70. I wonder how many other unwitting folks are being caught in this way, and indeed whether ParkingEyes activities are even legal!!

Coupon-mad

Just the same as every ParkingEye thread, it's legal of course but this and POPLA stage and how to appeal are all covered in the sticky thread NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST.

The_Deep

IMO, PE signs leave much to be desired. I doubt that many judges would agree that they are capable of forming a contract, read this

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5972164/parking-eye-signs-oxford-road-reading

and enlist the support of your MP as they are obviously trying to scam you.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up, and access to the DVLA's date base more rigorously policed, and persistent offenders denied access. Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers.

Until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted