PCN - Park Inn by Radisson Hotel London - Access Road

don9999

Just received a PCN, claiming Time in Car Park = 8.5 hours, with arrival and departure times, and photos of car on sundry road at the given times.


However....was actually parked in the nearby NCP Heathrow car park for this time!
For this, I had paid in full, in advance (actually for 10 hours - though I arrived a little later than planned, and left a little earlier than expected).


For those who know the NCP Heathrow car park, it is situated BEHIND the Park Inn hotel, and the access road goes PAST the hotel. I followed this route to/from the car park, not stopping anywhere on the access road.

I can only aassume that the hotel has cameras somewhere on the access route, in the attempt to photograph drivers using 'their' car park - there IS a separate car park in FRONT of the hotel.


There is no other access route to the NCP car park!


If I am correct, then I have to believe that 100's of cars get photographed here every day!


Or perhaps it is because I was only there for the day - the NCP car park is a Long Term car park so I assume the majority of users park there for multiple days/weeks.


I can highly recommend the car park. Is relatively close to the airport - buses every 20 minutes, and transfer takes just 15 minutes. You get to keep your keys - so you park where you like and the car stays there. Was quite impressed!


But really didn't expect to receive a PCN......!


Has anyone else had a similar experience here?


I had a quick search, but didn't find anything. Will also check Pepipoo.
Will then review the FAQs etc, on the recommeded method for disputing the PCN.

Fruitcake

What is the name of the PPC please?

Send the appeal template in blue from post 1 of the NEWBIES.

Add a one liner that the car never parked and the keeper has proof of this.

The keeper should ask the DVLA who requested their personal data, and when. State that the keeper believes this service to be free.

Then, complain to the DVLA about the scammers accessing your personal data, providing proof that the car was elsewhere and the ANPR scameras are being used to obtain keeper data from people who are not parked in the hotel car park.
If the PPC is a BPA member then the keeper should complain to them as well.

In addition, complain to the hotel manager/CEO and your MP about this unregulated scam.

don9999

Thanks for all the suggestions :-)

(Is Parking Eye - BPA)


Seems like a lot of work.

But I do enjoy making complaints...... ;-)

I'm just surprised I can't find any other people complaining about this. Surely I can't be the only person using that car park? I've just double-checked the NCP web site and confirmed I followed their advised route to the car park. Also looking on Google Maps, I can see the big yellow NCP signs that direct you along the access route I used to get to their car park.


https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/heathrow-flightpath/


Amazing oversight, if parkingeye are taking pictures of anyone using that access road.....

don9999

Regarding your suggestion for sending the initial appeals template, do I still send it although the majority of it does not apply?

The template talks about the inadequate signage and/or potential overstay and/or machiens etc..
(In my case, I don't really care about their signs or machines or whatever. I DID see their signs around 'their' car park - but I was NOT parked in 'their' car park. I was in a separate NCP car park!)

I agree about including a line saying the car was never parked there and I have proof, but do I still include the existing standard template (even though not relevant)?

Cheers,

Quentin

Send the appeal as is

It's tried and tested to ensure you get a popla code so you can present your full case to popla

don9999

Thanks. Will do :-)

Coupon-mad

Hold on, no rush.

You have 28 days to appeal to P/Eye from the date the PCN arrived. That's ages.

Try these FIRST:

- a complaint to the landowner, and

- send an online email SAR to NCP for THEIR images of your car driving in and out of their car park that day.

- then use that in evidence with the appeal, if NCP supply it in time. If they take a little longer (they have 30 days to reply to a SAR) then it will be in time for POPLA evidence!

don9999

Have already complained to NCP and the hotel and raised a dispute with parkingeye (sending the template letter as advised).

I DO like the idea of requesting photographic evidence from NCP.

I have a receipt from my NCP pre-paid parking, stating date and times etc. But I guess there might still remain a minor risk that someone might believe I still didn't actually park there.
I did. But photographic evidence would confirm this beyond doubt :-)

fisherjim

If you look at streetview (and it's unusual for their car to enter private land) there apoears to be an anpr camera on the pole facing the bridge above the ppc's signage. Why they would do that I hazard to guess.

don9999

Yes, is an odd place for them to have a camera - pointing towards the brige that leads to the NCP car park only...?

But I don't think it is that one that took pics of my car.

Coming away from the NCP car park, across the bridge and then turning right you proceed along the access route (where there are many large yellow signs directing you to the NCP car park). There are multiple cameras along this road.

Further along this road there is a small turning to provide access from the main Bath Road.
From the lines showing on the road in the picture, it appears that they have a picture of my car arriving at that turning, pointing towards the hotel (on the road, not anywhere on their car park!)
Then, again based on the lines showing on the road in the picture they have a picture of me from a different camera on a different part of the access road, this time going away from the hotel - but again, on the road, not anywhere near the hotel car park.

What amazes me is how they can photograph cars travelling along this access road and presumably assuming that the cars will thereafter turn in to the hotel car park and park there! Clearly my car was never even IN the hotel car park!

Furthermore, I don't understand why more other people are complaining about it...?
Surely if MY car got photographed on this access road, then 'other' people must have been photographed on it too....?

Coupon-mad

Have already complained to NCP

Email them a SAR tonight, now, for the ANPR images from that visit.

You can find their DPO email in their privacy page. A SAR is different from a complaint.