Motorway Service Station parking charge

Nancykitt

Hello all, I really need your advice. In June I was travelling from my home on the NW coast of Scotland to Cheshire in order to work. It's a very long journey at the best of times but there was a traffic jam and I ended up extremely tired and unable to drive any further by the time I got to Lancaster service station. I realised I would have to sleep in the car and there would be a parking charge. I couldn't find details of how to pay and walked around the car park for ages looking for info (not safe for a woman on her own!) I finally found instructions for Pay By Phone and paid the overnight charge. 
I got a demand from Nexus (?) a few weeks later for £100 because apparently I hadn't paid. 
I sent them the details including the screenshot from Pay By Phone. 
They have written to me today saying that although I paid, the number on the receipt corresponds to a different motorway service station and I still owe £20.
It's possible I put in the wrong number when I paid, after all I'd been on the road for 13 hours. But I don't think I did put in the wrong number?
In any case it seems harsh as I clearly wasn't trying to avoid paying. 
They've said I can appeal but if I lose I'll have to pay a lot more than £20.
Not sure what to do, any advice gratefully received!

Le_Kirk

Complain to the service area, their signs must have been confusing if you've paid for somewhere else - was it Moto or RoadChef?  This may help if so: -

Luke Gross for Roadchef  luke.gross@roadchef.com

Moto the CEO is ken.mcmeikan@moto-way.co.uk 

commercial manager paul.comer@moto-way.co.uk

Umkomaas

They are claiming it to be a keying error and are following BPA Code of Practice guidance of a charge of £20.

Was the service area a Moto or RoadChef facility. If it's the former, their CEO is very helpful, if it's the latter, not so much, but given you made a payment to them for overnight parking in very good faith, they might hopefully be of more assistance. 

Please confirm which one. 

Castle

I think Lancaster services, (North & South), are both Moto's.

Le_Kirk

Castle said:

I think Lancaster services, (North & South), are both Moto's.

Correct, I just asked Auntie Google.

Nancykitt

Umkomaas said:

They are claiming it to be a keying error and are following BPA Code of Practice guidance of a charge of £20.

Was the service area a Moto or RoadChef facility. If it's the former, their CEO is very helpful, if it's the latter, not so much, but given you made a payment to them for overnight parking in very good faith, they might hopefully be of more assistance. 

Please confirm which one. 

It's MOTO. Is it worth me emailing the CEO, as you Le_Kirk have suggested? I suppose there's nothing to lose!

Le_Kirk

Yes, always worth Plan A (in the NEWBIE sticky).  Just point out that Government advice (Tiredness kills, take a break) is to pull off and have a kip and the MSA is putting barriers in the way of doing this.  Do they really want you to drive tired and possibly cause an accident?

D_P_Dance

Have ypu complained to yoyr MP?  

Nancykitt

Just wanted to say thank you so much for the advice, MOTO were extremely helpful and have sorted it all out today!
The response said that they could see I had every intention to pay so the fine will be waived. 
Much appreciated! 

patient_dream

Nancykitt said:

Just wanted to say thank you so much for the advice, MOTO were extremely helpful and have sorted it all out today!
The response said that they could see I had every intention to pay so the fine will be waived. 
Much appreciated! 

Great stuff .. NEXUS scuppered again

adonis

The signs say don't drive tired, take a break.

But if you stop for a break and happen to fall asleep so you are over the time allowed and they hound you for money, you will drive tired next time.