Parking stories in the News/media

Fruitcake

Coupon-mad said:

patient_dream said:

Drivers at mercy of cowboy parking firms:

Motorists are handed 41,000 tickets every day by private firms - as motoring groups demand crackdown

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14129191/Drivers-cowboy-parking-firms-Motorists-handed-tickets-private-firms-motoring-groups-demand-crackdown.html

Nellymoser said:

41,000 pcns issued daily

The British Parking Association head of external affairs Isaac Occhipinti can "strongly refute the speculative scare stories perpetuated by the RAC Foundation" as much as he likes but he can't get away from the factual data:

PCNs issued July - Sept 
3.8 million in 2024 
3.3 million in 2023

An increase of 14%

The numbers never ever decrease.

Surely at some point the BPA/IPC should accept their parking management has failed and review their members practice, equipment and technology used.

Thanks to the RACF for diligently obtaining these KADOE figures.  

ANPR & CCTV needs to be strictly curtailed in the hands of PPCs.

Did you all know they've recently invented new ways to create more cover surveillance of vehicles in bays, so that they can cash in on the £100 Higher Rate that unjustly applies to 'not knowing to input your VRM on a tablet to 'register' your vehicle?  The recent innovations include:

- Mobile ANPR or CCTV (not sure if they mean drone or on wheels but I read it recently)

- 360 CCTV that films EVERY pedestrian and EVERY vehicle across two public highway roads - including a main bus route with all those passengers captured - and issues PCNs relating to two completely different shop premises (take a bow, One Parking Solution at Portslade for that crap);

- ANPR or CCTV in bay bollards to covertly film the person & vehicle without their knowledge. A 'bay management bollard'. Here are some articles and brochures from industry ANPR surveillance monster, ParkingEye:

https://www.parkingeye.co.uk/car-park-management/products/

https://www.parkingeye.co.uk/car-park-management/solutions/anpr-enforcement/bay-management/

https://www.parkingeye.co.uk/car-park-management/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Parkingeye-Product-Specifications-Bay-Management-Bollard.pdf

https://www.parkingeye.co.uk/car-park-management/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/05/Brochure-Bay-Management-2023.pdf

ParkingEye spin this utter codswallop:

"70% of people who use Blue Badge bays are not Blue Badge holders"

Really?! I'd like to see the proof. I'm going to call that out as (IMHO) untrue.  Even looking at the biased BayWatch campaign, they say "The overall level of disabled parking abuse across all supermarkets was 16%". and this data came from a mere 700 people, all with vested interests in reporting ONLY abuse and not a measured view:

https://www.parkingforbluebadges.com/baywatch-results-2019-one-in-five-bays-abused/

In truth, it's like a needle in a haystack for an unbiased shopper to ever see a vehicle without a BB parked in an accessible bay.

Take a look at ParkingEye's 'Bay Monitor' brochure.

They seem content to set EVERY disabled person and EVERY parent with a child up to potentially miss the fact that they are suddenly found to be required to 'register' on every visit!

EVERYONE with a child and EVERY DISABLED PERSON has to apparently queue up at the CS desk on every visit, to exempt their car.  Even in retail parks where you don't have to shop in store.  How exactly is the average person going to know to register?

How will the MHCLG stop this covert surveillance PCN-generating disaster? It needs to be added to the Mitigating Reasons to cancel PCNs: "genuine patron with genuine reason to park".

IMHO this is designed to increase PCN issuance.  It will certainly achieve that outcome.

Just like the fake 'red route' that UKPC has painted in a Preston retail park with hidden cameras and no repeater/clearway signs, catching ordinary people dropping off or picking up shoppers.

But mainly, this ANPR and CCTV abuse needs stopping by the Surveillance Camera Commissioner sharpish. Only he resigned in August, so it seems anything goes unless the MHCLG rein it all in:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/resignation-of-the-biometrics-and-surveillance-camera-commissioner

I have tried and I have tried to get my voice heard by this and the previous government about the disgraceful treatment of disabled motorists (drivers and passengers), but to no avail.

Recognising a blue badge as the ONLY indicator of a disability in my opinion is a breach of the EA 2010. If the parking industry gets it's way, we will have two sets of legislation that contradict each other. How can this be. 
One law, the Equality Act saying on thing, and brand new legislation (the mandatory parking CoP in support of the Private Parking Bill 2019) saying the opposite. 
How can this government, any government, allow two laws that oppose each other, and how the hell can I get my point across? How can I tell the MHCLG that they are missing a potential but glaring contradiction in law?

70% of motorists using accessible bays may not be blue badge holders, but it is feasible that 100% of those motorists have disabilities and protected characteristics and entitled to reasonable adjustments, and entitled to park in an accessible bay, just like the legless ex-soldier who got a ticket despite having his prosthetic limbs on the seat beside him having his crutches in plain sight, and I suspect having been seen by the parking operative who slid up and put a NTD under his wiper without waking him after he fell asleep because he was tired after a walk in a park.


C-m, you are doing a fantastic job, and having the ear of the policy makers is fantastic, and none of what I said is aimed anywhere near you, but how do we get more people to get their voice heard. Why can't I do what you do and directly put these points across, yet parking specialists get to speak on behalf of the unregulated industry and get the ear of the people who will be making policy and legislative decisions that will affect millions of motorists.

How can I, and everyone who fights these parking companies, and every other motorist in the land do what the parking industry does? How can we talk directly to the MHCLG.

Grizebeck

kryten3000 said:

Gr1pr said:

I hope that she is contacted and comes here for advice 

I am reliably informed that this lady is being assisted by a fellow Facebook admins who specialises in Excel/5 minute rule cases, so she is in good hands.

Apparently the first Notice that she received was sent 21 days late allowing her to get the others without knowing anything about the 5 min rule. She rang up and paid £60 and asked about her other days parking and they denied knowing about any other charges. It looks like that one she paid is included in the claim too.

That's good to hear .
Find out the date of the hearing if she needs free representation as I am often down in derby. If she does just drop me a pm.
I've sent you a PM

inthedepthsofthesea

This forum has to be one of the best parts of the internet. The help you're all willing to freely give is heartwarming.

Today's story is from the Chadburn Centre in Peterborough.

The car park, operated by ParkMaven, offers free parking for 90 minutes.

Dione Osborne, from Peterborough, has been one of several people who said they were fined £100 for parking during a free grace period at the Chadburn Centre in Paston.

Another person, who wished to be anonymous, said she was sent a letter instructing them to pay £170.

"They accused me of parking there from 12:00 on 18th November until 10:00 on 19th November, which is impossible," she said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2d07qvge2o

Nellymoser

And Peterborough business fear for the future as incorrect PCNs drive shoppers away from Chadburn Centre in Paston

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/transport/peterborough-business-fear-for-the-future-as-incorrect-parking-charges-drive-shoppers-away-from-chadburn-centre-in-paston-4888410

People are reporting Parkmaven have asked for a £15 admin fee to cancel the PCN.

The PCN Parkmaven issued in error!!!!

MothballsWallet

Fruitcake said:

I don't have a link, but Bristol Live has reported that Bristol Airport may be up for sale, along with several others in the UK and overseas.

Bristol Live understands the OTPP is mulling the sale of Bristol, Birmingham, London City, Copenhagen and Brussels airports, and is already in talks with minority shareholders over the plans.

Highlighting is mine.

Oh great, that's our local airport, and they've only finished upgrading the security area earlier this year.

Nellymoser

Excel have no shame in pursuing motorists for PCNs issued under their broken paying system  

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24756149.court-threat-two-years-man-fined-darlington-feethams-car-park/

A victim of Excel's '5 min to pay rule' is threatened with legal action if he doesn't pay £170. 

Two years ago the lad spent 13 mins in Darlington's Feethams car park but left to park elsewhere when his online payment wasn't taken.

It was utterly ridiculous of Excel to suggest the man "could have phoned our helpline number on the day to report the problems he was experiencing." What would that have achieved apart from extending the lad's unpaid time in the car park. 

These were not new problems. They were the same problems many other motorists have experienced at this site and they've previously been reported not only to Excel but Darlington's past and present MPs and the local newspaper.

Excel are aware of the problems it's obvious they don't want to address them. They rejected the lad's appeal as did the IAS. If they drag him to court hope he gets the judge that said "the expectation to pay within five minutes wasn’t achievable or fair.” 

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24401546.residents-fury-fines-darlington-feethams-leisure-car-park/

kryten3000

BBC Radio Leicester covered the Excel 5 minute rule story on Monday last (segment starts around 17:10).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0k4rs9m

Umkomaas

kryten3000 said:

BBC Radio Leicester covered the Excel 5 minute rule story on Monday last (segment starts around 17:10).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0k4rs9m

It will be the excesses of Excel and their ilk that will ultimately cost the private parking sector dearly. Maybe even towards the level of PPI.

Will Hurley needs to get a much tighter grip on them, because he too will be deservedly implicated - and I'm sure this forum will help make that happen!

Grizebeck

it also virtually impossible to get through to their helpline

Castle

Grizebeck said:

it also virtually impossible to get through to their helpline

Just send them a text message instead.