Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

This time it's Horizon Parking pretending that they can change the rules for disabled drivers but not bother to change the signs that still offer a concession:

https://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/23955177.beware-out-of-date-cockermouth-car-park-signs---warns-disabled-driver/

Cathy said: "I think retailers are totally confused regarding what's happening. We have spoken to many people and no one is clear about what's going on.

"It must be confusing for tourists too."

Roland said: "I have spoken to three different people at Horizon, they all know the sign is wrong."

A Horizon spokesman said:

"We are in the process of resolving for the longer term how the car park will be run going forwards and as soon as we have instructions, we will arrange for the signs to be updated accordingly. 

"In the meantime, we will always consider appeals should any motorist receive a Parking Charge which for a blue badge holder would just mean submitting with their appeal a copy of the front and back of their blue badge.

"Whilst the store is closed unfortunately, we are not able to offer the Blue Badge concession as there is no option for validation but the remaining terms and conditions of the car park are still in place as outlined on the signage."

Seems it's one rule for consumers:

"comply with the terms on signs or else"

...and another for the 'market failure' industry:

"we haven't changed the signs but hey - who cares? We'll 'fine' disabled drivers here, even though the contract says it's free."

BPA what say you?

Gotta be a Code breach, yes?

Either way, Horizon: stop pretending that signs don't matter. You are offering a concession term (free parking for disabled motorists) advertised there, that is void for impossibility.

Just clear off.

ANPR has no place at most retail parks.

patient_dream

Does government not understand that the BPA is now run by money scammers and cowboys ??

Coupon-mad

This looks like Excel Parking, allegedly bullying and (reportedly) successfully ripping off a disabled shopper at Iceland:

https://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/disabled-woman-handed-ps100-parking-fine-after-parking-on-buxton-supermarket-car-park-4430169

The PPC has already 'extorted money' (DLUHC's phrase) from her as she's sadly paid but Amanda Dejongh seems to be labouring under the misunderstanding that someone will refund her.  It's almost like she thinks parking firms have a customer service ethic.

Amanda Dejongh was in Buxton’s Iceland for less than ten minutes buying bread and milk and weeks later a letter came through fining her for parking without a ticket and she had to pay £100.

She said: “I panicked as they were threatening me with court if I didn’t pay so I paid."

The IPC must be so proud

Coupon-mad

This one is about Horizon Parking wrongly 'fining' a Blue Badge displaying motorist for parking in a disabled bay at a New Milton supermarket.

"Pensioners Roy (75) and Daphne Thompson (74), of Ashley Road, received a £70 penalty charge notice from Horizon Parking, having used its car park at Tesco superstore on Caird Avenue on 4th November.

However, contacting Mr Thompson on Wednesday to confirm the penalty had been withdrawn, Horizon apologised and cited “human error”.

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/amp/couple-win-parking-fine-battle-with-supermarket-9342464/

There was a Blue Badge displayed all along.  The parking industry seem content to issue fake fines anyway, because many deluded victims just pay.  Lucrative scam, IMHO.

This is parking management?

The BPA must be so proud.

Coupon-mad

Sherwood man's heartbreak at £120 parking fine - despite paying for tickets

"The money halved the amount he'd saved to pay rent this month".

How can Civil Enforcement Ltd and the BPA face themselves in the mirror each morning?  The entire industry is rotten to the core, IMHO.

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/honest-mans-heartbreak-120-parking-8944721.amp

"Colin Wells, spent half his rent money on fines after accidentally parking in the "wrong" car park - despite buying a ticket. He visited his partner in hospital at Queen's Medical Centre four times in late October after she'd had a major operation.

He said: "I had to pay them. It was either pay or it would go up to £100. That would've been £200 that I don't really have. The £120 was half of the money I'd usually save to pay rent."

It now transpires that Colin may have made the mistake of paying for parking at a machine belonging to Vehicle Control Services Ltd rather than Civil Enforcement Ltd, from whom the fines were issued.

The article reveals that the car parks are:

"so close, in fact, that there is signage advertising the VCS prices on the Civil Enforcement land, and a sign on the VCS land asking drivers to be careful as to which machine they pay at. In this case, Civil Enforcement Ltd have gained £120 from Colin despite the fact he honestly tried to pay, while VCS are £16 richer for two occasions he paid them but didn't use their car park."

What is the matter with people thinking they have to pay 'to stop it going up'?

The BPA must be so proud though.  This is apparently 'parking management; having 2 adjoining car parks with unclear boundaries.

Coupon-mad

Motorists hit with £100 parking fines at major shopping centre… despite their cars being miles away

"A badly-placed automatic camera has been blamed... forcing drivers to use their own photos as proof for appeal"

https://www.thesun.ie/motors/11786267/car-park-fines-error-shopping-centre-parked-miles/amp/

Take a bow, CP PLUS aka Group Nexus for apparently not bothering with the mandatory 'human checks' of ANPR data to avoid issuing PCNs for double dip cases.

Negligence?

Wrong camera placement?

A cynic could be forgiven for thinking: maybe some ANPR firms - which may or may not include Group Nexus - are thinking:

"Let's not bother, eh?  Let's not have any human involvement and just harvest DVLA data anyway and auto-issue PCNs based on automated data only, even though that's illegal under the DPA and UK GDPR 2018.  This will earn thousands and can be done without any staff, thanks to the back office automated systems. We'll just cancel a few, if anyone makes any noise..."

The BPA must be so proud.

Looks like only those few cases the MP got involved in - and those where the victim had photo evidence - have been cancelled in this case according to the article.  But I invite the BPA or Group Nexus to prove to me otherwise and explain how robustly (or not?) PPCs are audited to check that human checks are happening.

Mostyn Champneys Retail Park, Llandudno you are also named snd shamed. KICK OUT THE ANPR SYSTEM ALTOGETHER.

You don't need ANPR at a retail park

Coupon-mad

'We went out for a birthday meal but we were fined £100 just for turning up'

"A family went out for a celebratory dinner but were slapped with a surprise parking fine which has skyrocketed to £100 because of a validation error."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1841080/reddit-birthday-meal-fine/amp

Unnamed restaurant; unnamed ANPR scammer.  Keypad systems will need banning by the Scrutiny Board at the first review after the new Code comes in.

Coupon-mad

It seems Civil Enforcement Ltd has got a GP surgery over a barrel.

And they have (according to articles) been the cause of a continuing breakdown in relations between the Medical Centre and patients, who are now being sued for the heinous crime of relying on a notoriously dodgy keypad:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QndXRm3X5x8fjTrw/

Watch the above video...

CEL are apparently refusing to adapt the system to suit patients (because they only make money when a VRM isn't registered, of course).  Their 'solution' is a stupid QR Code...try showing a useless QR Code to an elderly patient with no Smartphone...!

These systems rely on people making mistakes or not seeing the keypad at all (who would, if you are visiting your GP?).

Drivers dropping off relatives and waiting more than 5 minutes also get 'fined' and never set foot inside so would never see the so-called 'obligation' to enter a VRM, because there's no machine in the car park and the headline sign (below) offers 'Patient Parking'.

The keypad system produces no receipt and even when staff type in the VRM, elderly patients are getting 'fines'.

The Practice has had to seek legal advice and seem to think they can take the dispute to an 'ombudsman' but they are wrong (no such ombudsman exists).

This has been an ingoing problem ever since Yarm Medical Practice signed a totally inappropriate 'ANPR/ type your VRM into a keypad to be exempted' contract with Civil Enforcement Ltd:

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/woman-slapped-disgraceful-60-parking-20938796.amp

Look how severely this has affected staff and patients; this is untenable but the Surgery is stuck with it:

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/gp-surgery-hits-out-after-25481812

It comes to something when doctors have to go out of their way like this, all due to someone 3 years ago thinking ANPR and an unreliable hidden keypad was a good idea because a 'PPC in a suit' told them it was.  

These keypad systems will need banning; your Scrutiny Board will need to look at this trend in future and stamp out these systems.

In fact it must be the aim to stamp out any system relying on PCNs for income. 

Coupon-mad

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23959920.tesco-st-peters-installs-new-anpr-cameras-reduce-crime/#comments-anchor

"Tesco St Peters installs new ANPR cameras to reduce crime"

Lazy journalism, what the heck is he talking about: "A CITY supermarket is installing number plate recognition CCTV to help reduce crime and improve safety of colleagues."

Even worse, this misinformation has come from the clueless Tesco Manager who appears to have swallowed hook, line and sinker everything that the ANPR firm (Horizon) has spouted:

Steve Winfield, store manager of Tesco St Peter's, said: "The main reasons for its introduction are to support a reduction in noise pollution we've experienced overnight in the Car Park. Following many complaints we've had from our neighbours of the store, the parking restrictions will act as a deterrent and help reduce noise."

Mr Winfield also said the cameras were to reduce crime and improve safety of the store's colleagues and customers in store - and to also help ensure disabled and child parking spaces are available customers.

Err, tell us how?  ANPR does none of the above and the boy racers (if they exist at all) will just avoid the ANPR cameras and carry on making noise at car meets.

Umkomaas

It seems Civil Enforcement Ltd has got a GP surgery over a barrel.

And if the surgery does get rid, expect revenge ticketing (a la Co-op of a few years ago) when receptionists, admin staff, nurses and doctors will suddenly find their historic legitimate parking events subject to ticketing. CEL will have those lined up - and they have 7 months from the last parking event to exact vengeance.