Can we get some of these Parking Companies shut down?

JustOneMoreTime

I know that there is not a lot of love for certain parking companies on here. So I was wondering if we all made a joint effort we could get some of the worst offenders struck-off.

Any BPA Approved Operator Scheme member needs to follow the code of conduct to keep their membership.

I suspect that many may not follow the code to the letter.

The BPA has some type of totting-up for failure to follow the code. So, it seems that if there are enough code breaches, and enough of these are referred to BPA (who need to agree that the PPC is in breach of the code) then the worst of them are going to get kicked out of BPA.

6.5 Non-compliance with the Code will be dealt with and monitored through a scheme of sanctions. We will issue sanction points depending on the severity of the non-compliance. If you reach twelve points on your ‘membership licence’ in any twelve month period, we may refer you to the BPA Council for disciplinary action. The referral may result in your membership with the AOS and the BPA being suspended or terminated.

I know that there'll be some who feel that BPA is 'in on it', but they need to play by the rules if they are going to get taken seriously in the changes to parking law.

Ralph-y

Hi, and welcome to the forum .....

I admire your passion, but if it was plausible then ... do you think we would have tried that ? 

why would the BPA cut the very firms that feed it ......

and

if we succeeded in getting them kicked out then where would they go ?

straight to the IPC

I hope you stay around and keep reading you will see some of the ideas that we do put forward ....

first 1 write to your mp to ask why after 12 months the new legislation is not in force ?

Ralph

beamerguy

The way forward is to get both ATA's ... the BPA and IPC closed down to stop the cowboys operating. Then the cowboys be licenced to operate by government. The culling of cowboys would follow

Both the BPA and IPC are now dinosaurs and not fit for purpose

D_P_Dance

Any BPA Approved Operator Scheme member needs to follow the code of conduct to keep their membership.

That is not strictly true, the big players can drive a coach and horses through the COPs   I fear that you are urinating windwardly.

JustOneMoreTime

D_P_Dance said:

Any BPA Approved Operator Scheme member needs to follow the code of conduct to keep their membership.

That is not strictly true, the big players can drive a coach and horses through the COPs   I fear that you are urinating windwardly.

Maybe, but I thought that the new law called for a unified 'single code' and that BPA was being lined up to be the single regulator? If BPA is going to be at the heart of the new implementation then they are going to have to be squeaky clean, which includes doing what it says it will do in its code?


6.3 ...If we find any non-compliance issues you must put them right within an agreed time. We will also record any complaints we receive about our members.

6.4 We will investigate any complaints about alleged noncompliance with the Code...

JustOneMoreTime

Ralph-y said:

first 1 write to your mp to ask why after 12 months the new legislation is not in force ?

Ralph

Done.

Umkomaas

but I thought ........ that BPA was being lined up to be the single regulator?

Where did you get that gem from?  Source?

JustOneMoreTime

Umkomaas said:

but I thought ........ that BPA was being lined up to be the single regulator?

Where did you get that gem from?  Source?

I know, laughable right?

There's a bit on the BPA website 

www . britishparking.co.uk/News/government-announces-british-standards-institute-will-develop-new-code-of-practice

and a number of mentions during the various readings of the new bill about a single body and my guess is that BPA thinks that it is in the box seat to be this "single standard body"

From the discussion below it looks like the members of the House of Lords are not regular visitors to this forum.

Lord Hunt of Wirral (Con)

This Bill comes to us with comprehensive support from all quarters, including the trade bodies for the private parking industry and motorists’ groups. Andrew Pester, chief executive of the British Parking Association—one of the two existing membership organisations with a self-regulatory code and access to the DVLA database—has supported,

“a single standard body, single code of practice and a single independent appeals service”.

In his words, the Bill,

“provides a unique opportunity to deliver greater consistency and consumer confidence”.

Baroness Thornhill (LD)

It appears to be largely uncontentious and to have the support of trade bodies such as the respected British Parking Association, which has regularly called for a single standard body, a single code of practice and an independent appeals service for all operators, regardless of the trade association the individual operators belong to. That is an important point.

Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con)

I am delighted to support this Bill and, in turn, support the long list of constituents who have come to my surgeries to discuss private car parks. It is time we addressed these issues, and I am confident that this Bill will do so, by introducing a statutory code of practice. I echo the sentiment of Andrew Pester, the chief executive of the British Parking Association, who says that a single code

“is important to ensure that unscrupulous providers don’t undermine the parking sector with bad practice.”

Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)

I am delighted to learn that the Bill has the support of the British Parking Association, the RAC Foundation and others in the industry.

beamerguy

JustOneMoreTime said:

D_P_Dance said:

Any BPA Approved Operator Scheme member needs to follow the code of conduct to keep their membership.

That is not strictly true, the big players can drive a coach and horses through the COPs   I fear that you are urinating windwardly.

Maybe, but I thought that the new law called for a unified 'single code' and that BPA was being lined up to be the single regulator? If BPA is going to be at the heart of the new implementation then they are going to have to be squeaky clean, which includes doing what it says it will do in its code?
.

The new code must be 100% independent and not tied into a members scheme like the BPA 

The BPA are a disaster at the best of times and not capable of a fair CoP

twhitehousescat

my old boss got booted out , he just passed his car parks and buisness to 3 other scum , who joined ipc 

Umkomaas

my guess is that BPA thinks that it is in the box seat to be this "single standard body"

A bit different to what you said earlier:

and that BPA was being lined up to be the single regulator?

Matters not what the BPA might think, their involvement to date carries as much culpability for the present mess as that of their unregulated members. They have proved categorically that they don't have a regulatory bone in their body. A complete conflict of interest to police the organisations on whom the policeman relies for sustenance. 

From the discussion below it looks like the members of the House of Lords are not regular visitors to this forum.

However, and much more importantly, members of the House of Commons had the scam and its perpetrators totally sussed out. Who cares what the nearly dead are saying!  But if we're quoting, here's a selection from Hansard:

"Rip-offs from car park Cowboys must stop''; unfair treatment; signage deliberately confusing to ensure a PCN is issued; ''years of abuse by rogue parking companies''; bloodsuckers; ''the current system of regulation is hopeless, like putting Dracula in charge of the blood-bank''; extortionate fines; rogue operators; ''sense of injustice''; unfair charges and notices; wilfully misleading; signage is a deliberate act to deceive or mislead; ''confusing signs are often deliberate, to trap innocent drivers''; unreasonable; a curse; harassing; operating in a disgusting way; appeals service is no guarantee of a fair hearing; loathed; outrageous scam; dodgy practice; outrageous abuse; unscrupulous practices; ''the British Parking Association is as much use as a multi-storey car park in the Gobi desert''; and finally, by way of unanimous conclusion: ''we need to crack down on these rogue companies. They are an absolute disgrace to this country. Ordinary motorists and ordinary residents should not have to put up with this''.