Breaking News: Government has announced the statutory Code of Practice, and Enforcement Framework

patient_dream

Fruitcake said:

7.2 Camera vehicles

Camera vehicles used to monitor, and enforce, compliance with relevant obligations must be clearly identifiable as such and must clearly and prominently display the name of the parking operator. Camera vehicles must also bear the logo and may bear the livery of the parking operator. They must not be used for covert surveillance, or carry misleading branding e.g. ‘Road Safety Unit’ or ’Security’.

Perhaps I should put in a bid to repaint VCS's fleet of vehicles at my local airport with the words, SCAM VAN.

Sounds like they have been watching VCS ?

Guess will see a lot more old claims from VCS/EXCEL ....  they will need money for all the changes ?

BrownTrout

The BPA are whinging, making out that more court cases will happen and that DRA's will go, both which are total rubbish.
https://www.britishparking-media.co.uk/news/responsible-motorists-to-lose-out-under-government-proposals-to-reduce-parking-charges

What they fail to point out is DRA's in other sectors work on a % of the amount collected and seem to do ok

Curlyben

BrownTrout said:

The BPA are whinging, making out that more court cases will happen and that DRA's will go, both which are total rubbish.
https://www.britishparking-media.co.uk/news/responsible-motorists-to-lose-out-under-government-proposals-to-reduce-parking-charges

What they fail to point out is DRA's in other sectors work on a % of the amount collected and seem to do ok

Headline reads:

Responsible motorists to lose out under Government proposals to reduce parking charges

How's that work then, a responsible motorists, by definition never gets a PCN.
They really are clutching at the flimsiest of straws.

Umkomaas

Here's the first bleat from the BPA. Just a repeat of the last minute rubbish they were spouting prior to the publication of the Code of Practice, including the utterly ridiculous statement that chopping PPCs income in half will lead to a £19.5 billion (yes, billion) loss to the British economy as motorists go wild and flood car parks (what are they going to do after they park up, spend money I'd hazard a guess!). Here it is, get your tissues out as you weep rivers laugh your heads off

08 FEB 2022

Responsible motorists to lose out under Government proposals to reduce parking charges

The British Parking Association (BPA) is deeply concerned by the unintended consequences for motorists, landowners and our sector following the proposals put forward by the UK Government to:

• Drastically reduce the level of the private parking charge from £100 (reduced to £60 for early payment) to £50 (reduced to £25 for early payment).

Lower parking charges will strongly reduce the effectiveness of parking enforcement and see more people take the risk of ignoring the parking rules which are for everyone’s benefit. Importantly, motorists who do comply with the parking rules will find it more difficult to park, see free parking reduced and are more likely to pay higher tariffs.

• Remove the debt recovery fee which is currently capped at £70 

The use of a Debt Recovery Agent is extensively used and accepted within many industries. In the parking sector it is used to help engage with the motorist, especially after the appeals processes have been exhausted. The removal of this service, including the provision of payment plans and the ability to deal sensitively with vulnerable people, may trigger an increase in the number of cases proceeding to the County Court stage, which no one wants to see. 

• A quarter of currently managed private parking spaces will no longer be managed 

Mazars, a leading international audit, tax, and advisory firm, conducted an impact assessment on the effect of the Government proposals to reduce the level of parking charges. This assessment concluded that a quarter of currently managed private parking spaces would no longer be managed[1]. This will mean that many destinations will become increasingly congested and inaccessible, and many commuters and shoppers will no longer be able to access transport modes, retail, or leisure destinations.

• Footfall declines will lead to a £19.5bn hit to UK Retail Sales 

Latest research analysing footfall in UK towns and cities showed that the closure of prominent town centre car parks could lead to a dramatic decline in footfall of between 5 and 7 per cent[2]. Applying these figures to the 2019 store-only retail sales figure of £275.2bn would mean an annual decline in UK GDP of between £13.2bn and £19.5bn[3].

To put these figures in context, the higher range of these figures would be enough to pay for the entire £18.9bn Crossrail project every year[4]. Small business owners on the high street and retailers in general will be affected by a decline in footfall to their stores and these impacts will be felt most acutely outside London where the deterrent will drop most, which appears to conflict with the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

• Significant job losses throughout the sector

Separate data commissioned by the BPA, also found that parking operators could lose up to 40 percent of their income should the Government reduce parking charges and risk thousands of job losses.

Andrew Pester, BPA Chief Executive said, “We call on government to urgently reconsider its proposals given the unintended consequences for our sector, landowners, and motorists.

“We welcome the Parking (Code of Practice) Act and measures to introduce a single code, standards-setting body, and an independent appeals service. However, for this package of measures to be sustainable, there needs to be an effective deterrent to encourage compliance with parking rules and deter anti-social parking. Without effective parking management, places would become congested and inaccessible.”

The BPA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and seek opportunities to engage with Neil O’Brien MP, to push for a positive outcome that benefits those whose livelihoods depend on a vibrant retail economy and the vast majority of motorists who comply with parking rules.

Snakes_Belly

"The use of a Debt Recovery Agent is extensively used and accepted within many industries. In the parking sector it is used to help engage with the motorist, especially after the appeals processes have been exhausted."

 Debt Recovery Agent used to help engage with the motorist? What planet are they on.

Snakes_Belly

"The BPA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and seek opportunities to engage with Neil O’Brien MP, to push for a positive outcome that benefits those whose livelihoods depend on a vibrant retail economy and the vast majority of motorists who comply with parking rules."

Neil O'Brien MP twitter feed. 

BobT36

Snakes_Belly said:

"The BPA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and seek opportunities to engage with Neil O’Brien MP, to push for a positive outcome that benefits those whose livelihoods depend on a vibrant retail economy and the vast majority of motorists who comply with parking rules."

Neil O'Brien MP twitter feed. 

Wish they got rid of the word "fine" when talking about non-council ones..

Fruitcake

Something else I just spotted.

Primacy of contract at residential sites, plus this.


14.1 j) 4 ... or to ensure that free parking periods do not breach planning consents.


No more arbitrarily reducing permitted free parking periods originally granted when planning permission for a site was approved then. 

patient_dream

Snakes_Belly said:

"The BPA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and seek opportunities to engage with Neil O’Brien MP, to push for a positive outcome that benefits those whose livelihoods depend on a vibrant retail economy and the vast majority of motorists who comply with parking rules."

Neil O'Brien MP twitter feed. 

"The BPA will continue to work closely with key stakeholders and seek opportunities to engage with Neil O’Brien MP, to push for a positive outcome that benefits those whose livelihoods depend on a vibrant retail economy and the vast majority of motorists who comply with parking rules."

I would think Mr O'Brien is sick of the BPA bleeting ?  Come on, their would be a vibrant retail economy if customers were not driven away by parking scammers who have driven people online.

From the BrownTrout link above ...

** Lower parking charges will strongly reduce the effectiveness of parking enforcement
What a load of tosh ...... £50 is still far too much

** Remove the debt recovery fee which is currently capped at £70
Who capped it ... well the BPA did who are only an unregulated  association with no legal authority to cap anything. This was just a scam ..... NOW BANNED

** A quarter of currently managed private parking spaces will no longer be managed 
They must mean that parking companies will pull out ?  That's a good thing for retailers, it means customers have more time to spend money ..... that's what retailers want

** Footfall declines will lead to a £19.5bn hit to UK Retail Sales
That is the most ridiculous statement as government agrees. Government understands that footfall will only increase once parking scammers are restricted and are not a blight on the community.  This is a made up fairytale

** Significant job losses throughout the sector
WHY? and does it matter, Supermarkets are crying out for shelf stackers etc. Anyway, this is not an industry that supports the economy ... NO VAT, and who knows how they account their incomes ... big fast cars, boats, big houses here and abroad.  If anything, HMRC sould be investigating these companies and thanks BPA for bringing this up

** BPA Chief Executive said, “We call on government to urgently reconsider its proposals given the unintended consequences for our sector, landowners, and motorists.
It's done and dusted and government are not about to let down millions of motorists and voters to a scam industry

Coupon-mad

Fruitcake said:

7.2 Camera vehicles

Camera vehicles used to monitor, and enforce, compliance with relevant obligations must be clearly identifiable as such and must clearly and prominently display the name of the parking operator. Camera vehicles must also bear the logo and may bear the livery of the parking operator. They must not be used for covert surveillance, or carry misleading branding e.g. ‘Road Safety Unit’ or ’Security’.

Perhaps I should put in a bid to repaint VCS's fleet of vehicles at my local airport with the words, SCAM VAN.

It was your picture that was in my head.  Your thread was timely, that's all I will say.

Some posters here have noticed familiar arguments and you can guess why. Can't talk about the work or discussions but you will no doubt see a few things that mirror what we say here, in some areas.