Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

And another one for the BPA to be sooo proud about:
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/northampton-cinema-goer-surprised-being-154056406.html

This time UKPC imposing a ludicrous scheme of '90 minutes free parking' at a site with a Cinema showing films that rake twice as long to get in and watch.

So UKPC have just lost Cineworld a customer due to a new hidden keypad system:

The husband said:

“We were unaware that it was a match day. We arrived long before the match started and left long after it was over. So imagine my surprise to receive a notice of parking charge as a result of using the Cineworld car park to see a film.

It's July - I was not expecting there to be football, especially as I arrived long before it started and left after it had finished. I'm not a football fan – that's why I go to the cinema. Yet how could I possibly be expected to be at the cinema for a mere hour and thirty minutes when the running time of the film I saw was nearly twice that, including adverts and trailers?

This is an appalling failure of business policy that I cannot believe Cineworld has allowed to affect its car park. Cineworld may not operate the car park, but it is absolutely the cinema car park.

As a business that has already neared bankruptcy this year, Cineworld has hit upon a policy that will slowly but surely drive customers elsewhere.

I have been a Cineworld Unlimited customer for over ten years at this point, and am ready to drop my subscription as a result of this frankly terrible policy.”

LoneStarState

Residents forced to sell their cars after being told to pay £2,200 to park near homes (msn.com)

Clickbaity article originally in the Mirror again that uses a misleading photo of a relatively quiet public residential street for the story. NCP have decided that a £1250 season ticket to park in one of its Manchester city centre car parks with 620 spaces was "unviable" and has been replaced with a new season pass at almost double the price.  A case of greedflation I suspect.

Coupon-mad

And the IPC must be soooo proud of the predatory camera van rip-off still operated by VCS at Airports:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-stopped-car-outside-airport-30608603.amp

"The driver says:

"It was all confusing to me. My phone started ringing so I stopped to answer it. I missed the call, but took those few moments to try to read the signs on the road so I would know where to turn for short term parking. I had no intention to park, I just needed to stop for a few seconds."

According to time-stamped CCTV images on the penalty notice, seen by local newspaper Bristol Live, his vehicle was first seen stationary at 14:41:20 and remained there for 33 seconds before moving. It shows the car positioned just off the mini roundabout at the entrance to the airport site, out of the way of traffic."

He appealed, got the expected VCS template rejection letter and instead of Googling it, he's gone and paid VCS as if it's a real fine.

Kerchiiiing!

Coupon-mad

Oh BPA, IMHO you must love NCP for this:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/residents-forced-sell-cars-after-30612501.amp

Residents forced to sell their cars after being told to pay £2,200 to park near homes

"Parking firm NCP has scrapped residents’ annual permit passes and raised parking fees in Manchester"

I mean, come on.

There's pricing and then there's fair pricing... NCP there is a cost of living crisis right now, so just clear off, you are not wanted by residents at these prices.

This charge is even before any PCN rip-offs are factored in for permits slipping and other jumped up excuses.

But no, they've doubled down on their arbitrary £1000 per year hike; money for old rope, NCP:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ncp-doubles-down-after-residents-27442955.amp

"Now, NCP has issued a statement on the controversy, saying the permit was ‘financially unviable’. It said:

“We do understand the concern about the recent price changes on this car park.

Unfortunately the residents have been benefiting from a Resident Roving season ticket that was proving financially unviable for the business and as a result that product has now been discontinued. In its place is a season ticket...

...that costs each person £1000 p.a. more...

Umkomaas

Coupon-mad said:

The August edition of Parking News has an article saying that ParkingEye and DCB have teamed up under a 3 year arrangement for DCB to add 'silly money' (that wasn't on the signs) and chase unpaid ParkingEye PCNs:

https://www.britishparking.co.uk/parking-news

https://portfolio.cpl.co.uk/Parking-News/432/24/

It also mentions on another page, that a new interim BPA CoP is effective yesterday, where they've cherry-picked what they can stomach from the new (stalled by their members) DLUHC CoP - and they say they are giving their members SIX MONTHS to comply even with those tweaks (whatever they are).

And Kelvin Reynolds usual ranty comedy piece at the end is laughable as usual but does include a link to the Kent Country Parks case where the Ombudsman's final decision has changed a little:
https://www.lgo.org.uk/assets/attach/4521/REPORT-17004169-KENT-CC.pdf

Now says that Councils can operate parks under contract law but still not not under POFA.

On page 40 in the Parking News (AGM News), it states that the BPA auditor 'Mazars' have 'resigned mid-term'. Isn't this the outfit that predicted for the BPA that the reduction in the parking charge would cost the UK economy £19 billion?  🤥

patient_dream

Coupon-mad said:

Oh BPA, IMHO you must love NCP for this:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/residents-forced-sell-cars-after-30612501.amp

Residents forced to sell their cars after being told to pay £2,200 to park near homes

"Parking firm NCP has scrapped residents’ annual permit passes and raised parking fees in Manchester"

I mean, come on.

There's pricing and then there's fair pricing... NCP there is a cost of living crisis right now, so just clear off, you are not wanted by residents at these prices.

This charge is even before any PCN rip-offs are factored in for permits slipping and other jumped up excuses.

But no, they've doubled down on their arbitrary £1000 per year hike; money for old rope, NCP:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ncp-doubles-down-after-residents-27442955.amp

"Now, NCP has issued a statement on the controversy, saying the permit was ‘financially unviable’. It said:

“We do understand the concern about the recent price changes on this car park.

Unfortunately the residents have been benefiting from a Resident Roving season ticket that was proving financially unviable for the business and as a result that product has now been discontinued. In its place is a season ticket...

...that costs each person £1000 p.a. more...

Remember PETER RACKMAN ?
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/vmpeople/infamous/peterrachman.asp

Dear NCP,

Well done for living up to our standards of extortion.

We are proud of our members who strive to rip off motorists

Yours sincerely,

Mr Knuckle Duster
CEO IN WAITING
The BPA scam department

Coupon-mad

Umkomaas said:

Coupon-mad said:

The August edition of Parking News has an article saying that ParkingEye and DCB have teamed up under a 3 year arrangement for DCB to add 'silly money' (that wasn't on the signs) and chase unpaid ParkingEye PCNs:

https://www.britishparking.co.uk/parking-news

https://portfolio.cpl.co.uk/Parking-News/432/24/

It also mentions on another page, that a new interim BPA CoP is effective yesterday, where they've cherry-picked what they can stomach from the new (stalled by their members) DLUHC CoP - and they say they are giving their members SIX MONTHS to comply even with those tweaks (whatever they are).

And Kelvin Reynolds usual ranty comedy piece at the end is laughable as usual but does include a link to the Kent Country Parks case where the Ombudsman's final decision has changed a little:
https://www.lgo.org.uk/assets/attach/4521/REPORT-17004169-KENT-CC.pdf

Now says that Councils can operate parks under contract law but still not not under POFA.

On page 40 in the Parking News (AGM News), it states that the BPA auditor 'Mazars' have 'resigned mid-term'. Isn't this the outfit that predicted for the BPA that the reduction in the parking charge would cost the UK economy £19 billion?  🤥

Good spot.  Missed that!

Wonder if a new auditor been appointed to try to get a new analysis past the DLUHC's economists, given the Mazars one was widely derided (it was hilariously alarmist and made the BPA look silly) and even the IA says that the Government found it full of holes (words to that effect) & they didn't use it to inform the IA.

Embarrassing for all! 

Coupon-mad

Thanks to @Nellymoser for finding this and posting it in the DLUHC IA DISCUSSION THREAD:

BVRLA will be responding to the DLUHC's call for evidence:
https://www.bvrla.co.uk/resource/call-for-evidence-private-parking-industry.html

"Whilst most of the call for evidence is aimed at gathering evidence from private parking operators regarding fees for parking charge notices, they are also looking at debt recovery fees. In the original code of practice, debt recovery fees were banned, however, following extensive lobbying by the accredited trade associations for private parking operators, debt recovery fees are being considered again.

The BVRLA will be looking to ensure that if debt recovery fees are allowed, they should be reasonable and only charged in genuine debt recovery circumstances, not when documentation between a BVRLA member and private parking operator has been ignored or mislaid."

Coupon-mad

Anyone else suspect that the BPA's guiding hand might be pushing this carefully-timed Consultation?

This is one reason why the private parking regime should NEVER be aligned with Local Authority PCN levels:

August 2, 2023

London Councils is holding a consultation into parking and traffic penalty charges which appears to be the first step in an increase across the capital.

https://www.hammersmithtoday.co.uk/#!pages/shared:common:contrans013

Some posters here might well want to respond to this consultation (anyone who ever drives in London):

“Today’s consultation is a crucial part of the Transport and Environment Committee’s decision-making process on penalty charge levels and additional fees, and anyone who uses London’s roads can have their say on the new proposals. We are dedicated to ensuring the plans don’t negatively impact lower income and more vulnerable people and welcome all input into this consultation.”

The consultation finishes on Monday 23 October and analysis of the results will be considered by London Councils' Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday 7 December.

To respond to the consultation click here.

Hmmm... say what now?

A Consultation on "penalty charge levels and additional fees"?

"Claimed that current levels not high enough to provide a deterrent"?

WHAT ADDITIONAL FEES?

Why does this sounds a bit too familiar..?

Sounds very similar to BPA spiel...

In my opinion - and others may disagree - Private Parking CANNOT mirror this or the BPA will be pushing for increases across the board, every second year, as and when the Private Code is reviewed.

nigelbb

Snakes_Belly said:

Coupon-mad said:

Quite a decent article by Rupert Bowers KC:

https://insights.doughtystreet.co.uk/post/102ike8/private-parking-charges-why-pay

This is the same chambers as Nicolas Bowen KC is based. He is the barrister that was taken to court by Parking Eye. The hearing became very costly for PE.  

Here is the case with Nicholas Bowen. Now too exciting as it was a default judgment as Parking Eye didn't pay the court fee.
 https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/aug/26/parking-eye-takes-on-top-barrister-85-fine#:~:text=When%20a%20parking%20company%20fired,over%2C%20decided%20to%20sue%20him.