Hospital parking penalty notice

ahfat41

Whilst in hospital car park not very familiar with car park regulations. I was looking to pay on  exit but before I know it I was out of the car park. I went back and I reentered the car park and asked somebody where to pay and was directed to a pay in machine. When inputting my details it said no payment. There is 30 mins free and it puzzled me. I just found out I should be paying before exiting the car park. Once I exit there is way I can pay. So it looks as if I am going to be issued with a penalty notice. The company is Saba. It is ignorance on my part is there any point of contacting the company or just wait for the penalty notice and then appeal.Thanks

Le_Kirk

It won't be a penalty if it is a hospital, it will be a parking charge notice (important to get the words right) and you should complain (not appeal) to PALS at the hospital to get this cancelled - it sounds like entrapment.

Fruitcake

You won't be getting a penalty notice. You might get a parking charge notice.

If that happens, Plan A is to complain to PALS and the CEO/head honcho of the hospital. Complain as keeper. Do not reveal the driver's identity.

Remind them of the government parking principles.

NHS car parking guidance 2021 for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If it isn't cancelled then appeal using the template in blue text from the sticky thread of NEWBIES. Send it unaltered, from the keeper. Do not miss the appeal deadline.

ahfat41

Le_Kirk said:

It won't be a penalty if it is a hospital, it will be a parking charge notice (important to get the words right) and you should complain (not appeal) to PALS at the hospital to get this cancelled - it sounds like entrapment.

Shall I wait to get the notice before complaining to pals? This the response I got from Saba customer service.
Thank you for getting in touch. If you re-entered the car park, then the pay machine will only refer to your most recent movement. If a notice is issued,there is an appeals process provided on the back of the notice. However once you have left the car park, there is no ability to then make a payment for that first visit

fisherjim

There in lies a flaw in anpr systems it has obviously taken the last entry as less than 30mins but the remote terminal has submitted the fact that the driver never paid for the first visit, data transmitted to mainframe job done PCN on its way.

The PPC will now stick this out in their greed, a conversation with PALS might get it cancelled as above but probably yet another uphill struggle.

Redx

Yes , wait for a PCN to arrive , so you can give the details to PALS

ahfat41

Redx said:

Yes , wait for a PCN to arrive , so you can give the details to PALS

Just an update did not wait for pcn but sent an email to pals. Pals forwarded my email to the property service manager and yesterday was told they will not pursue with a pcn. Am I dumb to have misread the signage and was expecting to be able to pay on exit whilst driving like it is used to be! So happy and relieve they accepted my explanation it was a genuine and ignorance on my part. In future I will do my research whilst visiting hospital car parks. Thanks Redx.

D_P_Dance

So it looks as if I am going to be issued with a penalty notice. 

I very much doubt that.  You might get an invoice from a PPC asking you to compensate them for the harm they allege they have suffered at your hands.  Read all about it in the newbies and complain to your MP.

Fruitcake

ahfat41 said:

Redx said:

Yes , wait for a PCN to arrive , so you can give the details to PALS

Just an update did not wait for pcn but sent an email to pals. Pals forwarded my email to the property service manager and yesterday was told they will not pursue with a pcn. Am I dumb to have misread the signage and was expecting to be able to pay on exit whilst driving like it is used to be! So happy and relieve they accepted my explanation it was a genuine and ignorance on my part. In future I will do my research whilst visiting hospital car parks. Thanks Redx.

Keep an eye out anyway for a PCN. Just because someone at the hospital said it wouldn't be pursued doesn't mean the PPC won't do so anyway. Keep that email safe. Back it up and/or print it off. 

No, you are not dumb. Parking companies have a habit of setting up deliberately confusing systems with deliberately confusing signage, and using an ANPR system that the UK Government has said is not fit for purpose and does not allow it to be used by councils and local authorities for car park monitoring.

Coupon-mad

Glad to hear that. 

But please don’t disappear, stick around and make a real difference shortly.  Please please do this; we need you:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78406376/#Comment_78406376

...we need everyone we help to come back and be heard in this Summer’s final Public Consultation by the Government, to set the policy fairly.