POPLA refused appeal - Where next please?

Alex.T

I recently received two parking fines from MET parking services. Incidents occurred within 1 week of each other but tickets arrived within a couple of days of each other. They related to me parking in a private car park, and leaving my vehicle without payment to go and eat in the local Mcdonalds (during EOTHO scheme) as opposed to Drive-Thru.
The car park is attached to the Mcdonalds carpark, so much so that when I'd normally do Drive-Thru I'd park the car in the said private car park to eat. The private car park provides parking to the adjacent Starbucks. There is signage which relates to the car park being private and pay & display for non customers, but I've always assumed it to be part of Mcdonalds parking. I've worked at the nearby Airport for two years and argued that the signage sounds like it means 'No parking for Airport' - ie: No leaving the car there when going on hols!
I appealed both via the official POPLA route, arguing that although I did park in the carpark for a mere 15-20mins during the Eat Out To Help Out scheme, I felt that the £100 (each) parking invoice for failing to Pay & Display was unfair and that during the pandemic and worrying about being made redundant (which I since have been) that I could not afford to pay the fines.

Unfortunately both have been returned as declined and now I am being asked for £100 for each of the invoices sent to me, to be paid in 28days.

Any advice on what I should do next please?

Thanks.

Le_Kirk

The NEWBIE sticky contains all the advice you need, go there now.

Redx

Nothing else to do , other than plan A in the newbies FAQ sticky thread near the top of the forum

It's not an endless process of multiple appeals !!

2 appeals per PCN was allowed , you have exhausted both for each PCN

If MET wish to go further they will issue a court claim from the CCBC in Northampton within 6 years

Fruitcake

They are not fines.

Wait to see if they take you to court. 
Get photos of the site and signage in case it changes at some point.

It sounds like the signage was inadequate but without seeing it I can't otherwise comment. What happened when you complained to the landowner?

The Beavis case 5 years ago killed off the "£100 isn't fair" idea.

There is little else you can do now. 

Alex.T

Thanks for the replies guys. 

Had a little read through the FAQ’s. 
I’ve basically admitted being the driver, possibly in error? 

The decision maker at POPLA states signage is adequate. Referee to Beavis case and does not agree that £100 each is excessive. 

Do i ignore and see if they take it further? Or do I just pay up? 

paulstevens64

I assume this is Stansted Airport.
I suggest you search the forum for "Stansted" and find other who have fought and won over tickets issued from this site.
Also make sure you have read the "Newbies" sticky - there is plenty of useful information in there. Including:
1) Complain to the land owner/retailer. Do this, find other Stansted threads, and see if McDonalds, and or Starbucks have intervened and helped. 
2) Newbies explains that if you loose at POPLA, there is nothing else to do (except 1 above), except to await further action from the parking company.

Paul

D_P_Dance

The decision maker at POPLA states signage is adequate. 

They would,.  Accordjng to the Supreme Court, £100 is not excessive.  Have you complained to your MP?

Coupon-mad

Isn't this the place Joe Lycett exposed? 

I thought the BPA told everyone that the demarcation and warnings had been made clearer?  By the way, we are sure they have not been so this is well worth fighting.  Why would anyone even ask for one remote second, whether to pay a scam?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_RcNM4SM0

Fruitcake

You have been advised to complain to the landowner.
You have been advised to take pictures of the site and signage.
You have NOT been advised to pay. The PoPLA decision is not binding on the motorist.
However, it's your money and if you want to pay an unregulated a scammer then it's your money to throw away.

BrownTrout

Why do people question/not follow simple advice

D_P_Dance

Perhaps they think they are smarter than us.