Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

I know this rag is the Scum (sorry) and the story is about a Lambeth Council PCN but you have to watch this video the motorist found from a local business' CCTV:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/22935024/fined-double-yellow-lines-council-lifted-car-to-paint/amp/

Even worse, the report says his first appeal was refused because they lied and said he parked on the DYL.

That's as bad as most PPCs and deserves a complaint about the Council to the LA Ombudsman.

Snakes_Belly

"Let's never forget, according to this laughable BPA propaganda piece, losing the 'benefit' of scam, badly signed predatory operations like those we feature in this thread will cost the UK's economy a £19.5 billion hit:"

https://www.britishparking-media.co.uk/news/government-proposals-to-reduce-parking-charges-will-lead-to-a-gbp-19-5-billion-hit-to-the-uk-economy

It never caused any issues with the high street in towns and cities where there was a predominance of council run car parks until PPC's were introduced Then it did hit the high street. 

Half_way

Member of a Church Chior get a parking charge notice from VCS after parking in the Church car park, and failing to fill in a parking permit "correctly"

 The Church requested a cancellation and the arrogant parking company said no

An Excel Parking spokesperson confirmed the church had appealed but it was too late because “costs had escalated and we were in the process of notifying her of our decision.”

full article :

 https://www.thestar.co.uk/business/sheffield-church-fails-to-get-parking-fine-quashed-for-ticket-issued-on-its-own-land-4209446

In this situation the Church needs reminding that they are jointly and severally liable for the actions of their agents , and they have  allowed an un regulated aggressive parking company to operate on their land on their behalf

Hopefully the individual involved may make it over here

Snakes_Belly

"An Excel Parking spokesperson confirmed the church had appealed but it was too late because “costs had escalated and we were in the process of notifying her of our decision."

How had costs escalated in sending out a standard rejected appeal letter?

SRS should think carefully about upsetting big G. He operates in mysterious ways. 
   

Half_way

the thing is that people fall for this rubbish, and the church appears to believe the nonsense from SRS.

daveyjp

Coupon-mad said:

This looks like a red route being set up by the Council on an A road near Bristol Airport:
https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/regional-news/bristol-airport-drivers-face-70-8564991.amp

Now if I am right and this is to be a Local Authority initiative with £70 penalty charges (seen as a hefty deterrent when well signed), this is great evidence to tell the DLUHC in the Public Consultation, if they ask whether you think £100 is right for Airport no-stopping zones:

ANSWER: NO.

Why the Hell should the likes of VCS (particularly greedy ex-clampers, notorious for issuing a no-stopping PCN to Mr Ward and dragging him to two hearings when his engine failed for FOUR SECONDS, plus other PCNs for stopping at barriers and zebra crossings) be enabled by the Government to get £100, especially given they have an unhealthy monopoly on Airport red-route roads?

How can that be acceptable when the brand new red route to be operated by the Local Authority near to Bristol Airport on the A38 is charging £70 - which is a hefty penalty and more than sufficient.  Make VCS prove they can operate fairly; reduce Airport 'no stopping' cash-cow level to £70 to match the Local Authority equivalent.

OR IS THIS ROAD ALSO GOING TO BE VCS-DOMINATED?

The article is useless as it also says:

"Once in place they will be enforced by the Bristol Airport policing team and anyone parked on them will be issued with a fine."

...Say what now?

North Somerset Council are no clearer:
https://n-somerset.gov.uk/news/red-lines-installed-stop-dangerous-parking-a38

It requires a Traffic Regulation Order to install any parking restrictions on public adopted highways, so the Red Route should have gone through due legal process. Needless fo say the A38 is adopted highway.  Adoption ends a few metres into airport roads.

Leeds Bradford has a similar red route which did go through the process, the airport then decided to continue the red lines from public highway to airport private land.  Thre may be a technical argument that as the official Council red route lines don't end where the land bounded by the TRO ends they may not be valid,

Snakes_Belly

Half_way said:

the thing is that people fall for this rubbish, and the church appears to believe the nonsense from SRS.

They have gone to the media so they must be upset. It's Broomhill which often features in the Star regarding another car park that Excel have infested. Hopefully the lady concerned will find her way onto this forum. 

Coupon-mad

Stoke's 'most hated car park:
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/matalan-shopper-lands-60-fine-8583429.amp

The IPC must be so proud.

"I put my registration in the parking meter to pay before I left and the price came up at £60. I was absolutely stunned. I contacted the help number on the screen as I thought this had to be a mistake - but apparently not."

Well if the sum of £60 is coming up on the machine as a tariff when the driver goes to top up to cover their stay, then one trusts that the PPC is paying VAT on the sums paid because that's a primary contract fee, not a (secondary contract for breach) parking charge.

Well, G24, are you paying VAT on these parking fees?  Did your mates at the IPC forget to explain the difference between a parking fee and a parking charge?

Coupon-mad

Interesting article about a group of residents who live in a peaceful, quiet private road area fighting back and refusing to accept a totally unnecessary 'permit scheme':
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/residents-posh-edgbaston-estate-lock-27243322.amp

They said they were concerned over a threat of fines:

 “We live on one of the quietest roads in Birmingham - they are trying to push through a parking scheme nobody wants and that makes no sense. We have brought our concerns to Calthorpe Estate and have demanded a change of management agent over the issues."

The article reveals the fightback:

"The residents say they were told they were not 'representative' of their neighbours - so in response they have now formally constitued the association and provided legal evidence that 67 households out of 127 on the estate are with them. They are demanding formal recognition by Calthorpe Estates of their right to regular updates and meetings, and for the parking scheme to be abandoned."

Bravo those residents!

Power to Anstruther Estate Residents' Association - get the ex-clamper gits (whoever they are) banished before they can even put a sign up!

Calthorpe Estates you are named & shamed.

The managing agents are reportedly Firstport who I recall were responsible for similar issues including a debacle about UKCPM being foisted upon other residents and ruining the peace & quiet for people living at an estate that appeared on TV (maybe on Watchdog?) a few months ago, featuring a poster here rejoicing in a username like 'IhateUKCPM' or similar/ruder.

Firstport you are named and shamed for being serial 'bed-partners' with ex-clampers at residential estates where such schemes are neither wanted nor even needed.  Get stuffed with your useless greedy permit scheme crap.

Half_way

sometimes it makes you wonder if there is any collusion, and/or cosy relationships between PPCs and management companies/agencys etc.

If the personal liability aspect of GDPR could be used against management company personal, as a well as supermarket managers or expect is responsible for allowing a ppc to operate  then the tables may will turn against parking companys .

frim my understanding, in the days of clamping one bit osf advice was to get the money back from the car park owner