Minster Baywatch - Crickley Hill - Another one!

rynorfolk

I normally use their parking app when visiting, we're there as a family every couple of weeks or so. Lovely spot and great coffee.

On this occasion their app wouldn't take payment, so I took my turn in the ticket machine queue. The guy in front said the machine wasn't working and when he'd finished tried myself. The machine wasn't working at all.

Received a PCN for £100! (£100 for parking, that's more than a speeding ticket!) Anyway, appealed on their website and just been told they are not going to cancel the charge because if the machine isn't working "there is an alternative payment method available at this site - RingGo (pay by phone/app)"!
Infuriating, they obviously didn't read my appeal.

There's also a nice line "If a driver feels that they cannot pay for their parking duration, the onus is on them to leave the site". I felt and still feel I can/could pay for my parking duration, it's not my problem they couldn't accept my £2, is it?

I've complained to National Trust and submitted to POPLA. Is there anything else I should do? Is it worth complaining to BPA?

Le_Kirk

You have done Plans A, B & C from the NEWBIE sticky so presume you have read it.  If you complain to BPA, what are you going to complain about.  The PPC appear to have followed the process.

Redx

No point complaining about the £100 charge , it's been £100 for a decade and won't change until next summer when the new government CoP kicks in. So no mileage in the £100 charge , concentrate on the rest , like frustration of contract

Coupon-mad

I’m surprised you didn’t realise this would definitely get you a PCN as soon as you left and your VRM image was taken. 

 It was always going to happen as soon as you stay without paying.  Scam, innit?

fisherjim

I thought the NT estate was covered by byelaws surely they can't have it both ways

https://nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/documents/the-national-trust-byelaws-1965.pdf

D_P_Dance

Have tyou complained to your MP,  local paper, Trading Standardss?    

I dio not have a Smart phone, for me there would be no is alternative payment  method.  If they take this too court consider a ciounter clain for harassment/data abuse/whatever.

If you park in a Tesco site to shop at  a Tesco, why if you cannot pay the charge, is it a requirement to park elsewhere, say at Waitrose?  

rynorfolk

Le_Kirk said:

You have done Plans A, B & C from the NEWBIE sticky so presume you have read it.  If you complain to BPA, what are you going to complain about.  The PPC appear to have followed the process.

I just wanted more people to complain to lol

rynorfolk

Coupon-mad said:

I’m surprised you didn’t realise this would definitely get you a PCN as soon as you left and your VRM image was taken. 

 It was always going to happen as soon as you stay without paying.  Scam, innit?

I'll be honest, never even noticed the camera

rynorfolk

D_P_Dance said:

Have tyou complained to your MP,  local paper, Trading Standardss?    

I dio not have a Smart phone, for me there would be no is alternative payment  method.  If they take this too court consider a ciounter clain for harassment/data abuse/whatever.

If you park in a Tesco site to shop at  a Tesco, why if you cannot pay the charge, is it a requirement to park elsewhere, say at Waitrose?  

I'm starting on Social Media, reviews and all the comments in our local newspapers (there's already stories about "Minster Baywatch - Crickley Hill"). I like the idea of my MP

Coupon-mad

rynorfolk said:

Coupon-mad said:

I’m surprised you didn’t realise this would definitely get you a PCN as soon as you left and your VRM image was taken. 

 It was always going to happen as soon as you stay without paying.  Scam, innit?

I'll be honest, never even noticed the camera

I know...but you’ve been caught out by a private PCN before so you need to start looking for cameras and avoiding private car parks completely, like I do except when shopping or visiting a facility like a hospital.  

The cameras are there if you look up. Avoid car parks.

rynorfolk

Here's my POPLA first draft, any comments appreciated...

When visiting Crickley Hill Country Park I normally use their “RingGo pay by phone/app” and have had no problems in the past. Their app logs/records will testify to this.

On this occasion, 16th Aug 2021, their “RingGo pay by phone/app” would not take payment. There was no error message, just nothing happened when I clicked the ‘Pay Now’ button. I knew I had sufficient funds to cover the £2 parking fee, so I tried again. I then went through the process a third time, in front of my partner, but still nothing happened when I clicked the button.

So I took my turn in the ticket machine queue, behind another man. The man in front said the ticket machine wasn't working and when he'd given up, I tried it myself. The machine wasn't working at all. My partner was next to me at the ticket machine and can also testify to it not working.

I appealed my PCN and informed Minster Baywatch that neither their “pay by phone/app” or ticket machine would take payment. They rejected the appeal and told me they are not going to cancel the charge because if the machine isn't working "there is an alternative payment method available at this site - RingGo (pay by phone/app)". 

I stated, very clearly, in my appeal that their RingGo (pay by phone/app) wasn’t working. Infuriating, they obviously didn't read my appeal and even more frustrating, won't enter into any correspondence with me about this matter.

In the appeal reply letter, Minster Baywatch states "If a driver feels that they cannot pay for their parking duration, the onus is on them to leave the site". I felt and still feel I can/could pay for my parking duration, it's not my fault they couldn't accept my payment.

I wanted to pay my £2 parking fee and repeatedly tried to pay it. I don’t think I should be held responsible for Minster Baywatch inability to accept my parking payment and for that reason I feel this charge should be quashed.