Parking stories in the News/media

nigelbb

UncleThomasCobley said:

More "low hanging fruit" thinking that these scams are "fines":

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23895352.suffolk-man-shocked-hospital-parking-fine-no-charge/

Ipswich Hospital is part of the same Trust as Colchester Hospital. Parking used to be handled in house at both hospitals by attendants leaving windscreen tickets with £10 'fines' for infringements with the . Enforcement uses ANPR operated by Car Parking Partnership the alias that Parking Eye hides behind when operating in the NHS. The system is OK as far as it goes at Colchester with barriers on entry & exit except that the exit barrier rises even if the correct parking fee has not been paid so permitting drivers to leave without paying (whether deliberate or accidental) when the technology is in place to prevent this but of course that would mean no 'fines' for CPP.

Like so many other hospitals there is no reason to park at either hospital unless you are visiting the hospital which makes this tax on the sick particularly egregious.

Le_Kirk

Coupon-mad said:

Watford Asda has confirmed drivers were wrongly given parking tickets at its car park after introducing a new system:

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/23898790.watford-asda-car-park-fines-wrongly-given-drivers/

Familiar line that, innit: "we introduced restrictions due to complaints".
How come we see that same line trotted out ALL THE TIME?

IMHO, a cynic might conclude that in SOME such cases these 'complaints' could be something and nothing. Imaginary, even?

Dear Watford Observer
You are not very observant are you, these are not fines!
Dear Asda
How does introducing a time limit during the DAY prevent anti-social behaviour at NIGHT? Maybe fences and gates would do that for you!  No doubt the ANPR cameras have captured the VRMs of the miscreants; how have the police reacted to this information and how many anti-social drivers have been prosecuted?
Dear ParkingEye
The cynic in me might say you have spotted a money-making opportunity here!

alanjuk

Another APCOA and hospital staff one. 

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/hero-royal-stoke-nurse-lands-8830040

Umkomaas

alanjuk said:

Another APCOA and hospital staff one. 

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/hero-royal-stoke-nurse-lands-8830040

Sandra has not paid the fine in the hope that car park operator APCOA would quash the penalty after realising she had a permit. But the penalty still stands and Sandra has now received a legal letter ordering her to pay £205.

I bet there's no real 'legal letter' if APCOA's involved. Sounds more like a DRP stunt!

GrannyKate

Meadowhall Sheffield - I think they introduced a scheme to register to use parent and child spaces earlier this year. https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/humberston-mans-warning-parents-parking-8883540

Hate the place anyway so another reason not to visit. 

Coupon-mad

Indeed!

Just got told the One Show (Watchdog) is on now and they mentioned private parking.

Have switched over to watch.

Umkomaas

GrannyKate said:

Meadowhall Sheffield - I think they introduced a scheme to register to use parent and child spaces earlier this year. https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/humberston-mans-warning-parents-parking-8883540

Hate the place anyway so another reason not to visit. 

Minster Baywatch signage (unusually no BransbyWilson involvement), but 'Meadowhall Limited Partnership' and 'British Land Company PLC' are shown as having some involvement in the land ownership. Not sure whether this is significant, and whether they 'replace' BW as corking things up legally/contractually for MB?

Coupon-mad

Disabled motorist caught out by a lack of extra signs to alert her that a Council car park where Blue Badge holders used to park free of charge, is now infested by Euro Car Parks:

https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/disabled-woman-fined-following-unclear-parking-rules-in-south-shields-town-centre-4402543

She went and paid it. Doh!

This is unusual:

"South Tyneside Council has confirmed that it never owned the Garden Lane car park and was only enforcing parking measures on behalf of the land owner.

A spokesperson for the Council commented: “Although Garden Lane Car Park is not council-owned land, the Council has carried out parking enforcement on behalf of the land agents representing the private Waterloo Square shopping development.

“This arrangement was terminated from 10 September 2023 following instruction from the land agents exercising their powers to change their enforcement operator.  As a result, the Council removed all machines and signs, with the land agents bringing in a private operator to enforce their car park going forward.

As the car park is no longer under Council enforcement, any enquiries should now be directed to the land agent and Euro Car Parks.”

The BPA must be so proud.

Never mind about the extra signs needed, eh? Just let 'em keep churning out PCNs as long as people keep paying?

Coupon-mad

Umkomaas said:

Half_way said:

where do you start with rubbish like this
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anger-motorists-parking-fines-after-rules-implemented-185252556.html

From one of the on-site retailers:

Staff at a local dry cleaners said they had been given four tickets, which will increase to an eyewatering £100 if not paid in two weeks.

A staff member said: ‘People are getting tickets for no reason, it’s ridiculous. We are trying to cancel ours.

‘We wanted a camera because nearby residents were abusing the car park – but we don’t want this. It is going to affect all our businesses if it is not sorted.’

As the saying goes 'Careful what you wish for'!

Guaranteed, it won't be 'sorted'.

Not often we have to eat our words but look, some local has 'sorted' it:

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23905103.campaigners-vow-get-henwick-park-parking-tickets-cancelled/

"SIGNS on a small trading estate which has seen ticketing chaos in recent weeks have been brought down, but the car park owners say not by them."

Signs in the bin round the back, maybe?

  

Coupon-mad

And ex-clampers UKCPS apparently reckon they can 'fine' a patron of the retail park for using the adjacent toilet:

https://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/amp/bizarre-parking-rule-sees-driver-fined-for-visiting-public-9338618/

"Obviously nothing else such as medical conditions, actually using the store to purchase items, or adhering to the two hour rule makes any difference. Making money is obviously more important than compassion to this company,”

He explained that since the incident, he had made sure to check parking conditions thoroughly but had not come across anything similar again — and stated the policy seemed:

“unfair, inappropriate, illogical and purely a way for the company to try and make money”.

But he wasted his time on a futile 'Appeal' then for some reason, instead of Googling it, he paid UKCPS.

The IPC must be so proud.

This is parking management, is it?! Jeez...

Albert Street Newark, your retail park is named and shamed. Why the heck would any retail park use UKCPS?