Vcs letter before claim

Doddle1

Here's my reply from John Lennon Airport.

Thank you for your email regarding your parking contravention here at Liverpool John Lennon Airport subsequent receipt of a Parking Charge Notice (PCN).
 
By way of background information the ‘red route’ in operation at Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an area of private land visibly marked out by double red lines, where stopping for any purposes is prohibited at all times. No stopping, waiting, loading or picking up or setting down of passengers is permitted on red route double red lines. There are over 80 high profile signs explaining the red route to drivers, all signage exceeds the recognised industry standards, with some as large as 2m by 1m on the airport approach road and surrounding roads. The scheme was introduced in June 2012 due to growing congestion caused by vehicles stopping and blocking roadways and in particular, emergency access routes at the airport. This congestion created significant safety risks for other motorists and pedestrians as well as presenting a risk of costly delays for emergency vehicles responding to incidents at the airport. The Airport thoroughly considered the congestion situation and was provided with guidance from a number of bodies prior to introducing the scheme including the British Parking Association (BPA), Liverpool City Council, and Merseyside Police.
 
Having said the above, passengers have a choice of clearly signposted parking and drop off/pick-up options available to them at the Airport including a free drop off/pick area (up to 40 minutes).
 
VCS are the operator company who manage the red route on behalf of Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The Airport team work closely with VCS to ensure the guidelines and procedures in place are implemented and are compliant with all industry best practice. The guidelines for issuing Penalty Notices cover a range of events but also include “grace periods” depending on the passenger behaviour relating to each incident. The majority of the contraventions issued are based on normal driving requirements in line with the Highway Code, Department for Transport and Traffic Management agency guidelines. Individuals who receive a PCN and who believe they have been unfairly treated can initially appeal to VCS, if having had their appeal to VCS refused, they can subsequently appeal to an Independent Appeals Service (IAS). Although administered by the Independent Parking Committee (IPC), each appeal is dealt with by an Independent, qualified solicitor or barrister who will decide if the charge was lawfully issued. The Independent Appeals Services and Parking on Private Land Appeals assesses each case individually, and on a legal basis. The IPC have no say over the outcome of an appeal submitted to the IAS, which is Independent from the IPC. In addition, the appeal is made at the cost of the operator, in this case VCS, and the cost is higher if the appeal is upheld so it is not within their interest to be over zealous issuing PCN’s.
 
In regards to the incident in question, we have recently viewed the images and footage of  your specific location and incident which triggered your PCN and a vehicle can be clearly seen parking on the road on a red route road one of which is almost adjacent to the free drop off/pick up facility. Unfortunately by choosing to stop on the clearly marked red route to drop off, collect your passenger instead of using any of the designated parking areas, your vehicle was in contravention of the parking regulations and subsequently received a Parking Charge Notice with payment of this fine continuing to be pursued in the normal way.
 
We believe the introduction of the red route has been successful in minimising congestion and delay for other airport road users and emergency vehicles, with over 99% of passengers moving on and off our access roads in full compliance of the restrictions. We have implemented and operated the scheme within the recommended guidelines for key industry associations such as the BPA, DFT and Highways England (formerly The Highways Agency). We believe we are acting lawfully in the way we implement management of the Airport access roads and the airport is fully supportive of VCS and strongly believes that they are effective and fair when implementing the procedures associated with the red route.
 
I hope this helps to explain the situation and I would suggest you continue your appeal down the documented process.

Coupon-mad

Hopelessly clueless - they call them 'penalties & fines'.  Sounds like half of it was written for them by VCS:

"The guidelines for issuing Penalty Notices cover a range of events but also include “grace periods” depending on the passenger behaviour relating to each incident."

"the appeal is made at the cost of the operator, in this case VCS, and the cost is higher if the appeal is upheld so it is not within their interest to be over zealous issuing PCN’s."

"We have implemented and operated the scheme within the recommended guidelines for key industry associations such as the BPA,"

"We believe we are acting lawfully in the way we implement management of the Airport access roads and the airport is fully supportive of VCS and strongly believes that they are effective and fair when implementing the procedures associated with the red route."

Doddle1

I just hope I get a decent judge when the time comes!

KeithP

@Doddle1, probably best if you were to progress your issue on your own thread.

Doddle1

I will! I was just responding to the other comment about contacting the airport's Commercial Director.

Le_Kirk

By way of background information the ‘red route’ in operation at Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an area of private land visibly marked out by double red lines, where stopping for any purposes is prohibited at all times. No stopping, waiting, loading or picking up or setting down of passengers is permitted on red route double red lines.

I wrote an answer to this on another thread a couple of weeks ago: -

Dear Airport person
Is it OK if I see one of your employees walking across one of your red routes and I do not stop but continue to drive towards and through them?

Coupon-mad

Also,  I suspect the Airport Byelaws actually say that stopping is exempt if in an emergency.  So what the person has said there is complete rubbish.

Pants182

I've been contacted by VCs to state that ELMS are not longer acting on their behalf. i now have a directors report, can this be send via email the same way the my defence was or does it have to be posted. i have to send a copy to court and to VCS. do VCS have to do the same, send me a copy? thank you

KeithP

You have a directors report?

How interesting... never seen or heard of one of those.

Pants182

  directions questionnaire haha.......long day. I've sent in the post to the county court and VCS, thank you