Charge more for parking van in sip car park.

Ian1980

Hi, new user here.

Yesterday I parked in an sip car park in Manchester centre, paid for my parking and went to do my job.

On returning I had received a ticket stating "invalid ticket displayed" and after a closer look at the sign there is a section at the bottom stating vans are charged a flat rate of £20 to park for 0-24 hours.

I have never been charged extra to park my van anywhere and am wondering if this is legal?

I was parked properly, using one bay and well within the lines and only using one space just the same as a car or motorbike would.

Thoughts and advice would be appreciated,
Thanks, Ian

Le_Kirk

Did you read the NEWBIE sticky? Did you get to the end of post # 1 where it states to send the standard appeal in blue text?

Coupon-mad

They can make up whatever rules they like on private land but to be a valid contract it needs to have been clear.

Sounds like the sign was unclear, and the machine didn't ask you the clear question: ''Car/van/motorbike''.

Trouble is, SIP are in the IPC and as you will find from reading post #1 and #3 from the NEWBIES thread, no appeal will work, it is an absolute scam industry, and these cases are only resolved in court.

nosferatu1001

Take photos of the signs
They are crucial to you
ALso take photos of the P%D machines.

Ian1980

I couldn't find the answer to my question in the newbies thread.

The sign was directly above the pay machine and easily readable, I only read the part where it listed the hourly charges. Directly under the hourly charges was a sentence stating "motor home, minibuses and vans over m1 class - 0-24 hours £20".

I should have read the whole sign but I wasn't expecting extra charges for parking a van, it has always been the same as a car where ever I have parked before. The ticket machine didn't mention anything about it either.

Not sure if I could claim inadequate signage, it just struck me as wrong that they can charge two different prices for the same parking space.

foxy-stoat

Paying extra for vans seems to be the next thing to scam the general population. Post up photos of the signs and ticket machine, along with your PCN (personal information deleted).

Do they expect you to pump 20 £1 coins and select van on the machine or something.

The_Deep

I have never been charged extra to park my van anywhere and am wondering if this is legal?

Unfortunately it is. They offered you a parking space at £20 and, by parking there, you accepted. They are now claiming damages for breach of contract. This too is perfectly legal.

However, as nine times out of ten these tickets are scams you may wish to consider complaining to your MP.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, 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, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but 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

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies

fisherjim

Ian1980 wrote: »

Directly under the hourly charges was a sentence stating "motor home, minibuses and vans over m1 class - 0-24 hours £20".

So as I read that your van must fall into either of the following categories to pay the higher tariff:


Motor Home.


Minibus


Over M1 being:

• Category M2: Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat, and having a maximum mass not exceeding 5 tonnes.
• Category M3: Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat, and having a maximum mass exceeding 5 tonnes.

https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/vehicletype/definition-of-vehicle-categories.asp

The_Deep

I am sure that the average motor home falls into neither. If this is the case you have them by the short and curlies.

Xannara

fisherjim wrote: »

So as I read that your van must fall into either of the following categories to pay the higher tariff:


Motor Home.


Minibus


Over M1 being:

• Category M2: Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat, and having a maximum mass not exceeding 5 tonnes.
• Category M3: Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat, and having a maximum mass exceeding 5 tonnes.

I read it as anything above an M1 Class which would include N1 Class which is the average vehicle classification for a van if I am correct. You would have to check your vehicle specifications on the government website to be sure!

Sc03hey

Parked in a space within lines ,paid by pay by phone ,came back and been fined.
None of the signage covered this point that I was a van only the one above the pay and display which I didn’t use and the one on the entrance which obviously wasn’t reading as I was driving past vehicles and pedestrians,all the signs within my proximity (photos taken) and the whole car park do not refer to this point only the two signs stated !

There were other vehicles the same ‘size’ as mine that had been booked and some that hadn’t all the same size transits and t5/6

The appeals process is designed to frighten you to not appeal for fear of the fine going up ,what’s the cost to appeal this at court if they don’t accept your appeal which I’m sure they won’t .

The attendant showed me the sign when I got back as I genuinely hadn’t seen it (paid by phone)and as stated all the signs one within 500mm of my vehicle when parked there was no mention (or any of the internal signs approx 10-15)When I’ve read there terms it states that the signs are to be clearly marked which they are not .