Parking stories in the News/media

Castle

BBDriver said:

Notice the incorrect use of the word "fines" by ParkMaven in their quote. They didn't issue any fines, just speculative invoices.

"I completely understand the frustration that this has caused, and any fines issued due to the technical issue have already been cancelled.”

The "technical issue" being that they got caught!

MothballsWallet

BikingBud said:

On the Vine show around 12:45 referring to the old favourites DCB Legal and the Rose Hudson case in Derby, how they abandoned before getting to court.  

Unfortunately Vine cannot string an argument together and could not highlight the real issue, the persistent abuse of the court system to bully people to pay unconscionable sums to these robbers.

Are you referring to Sarah Vine or Jeremy Vine?

If the latter, he's uploading cyclist cam footage to social media to show bad road user behaviour more often than not.

BBDriver

Not a parking article but it is our old friends at APCOA with their usual level of competence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rjmp3z2nvo

A spokesperson for APCOA, the contractor used by the council to issue FPNs, said: "APCOA has already contacted the family concerned to apologise and confirm that the FPN has been cancelled.

"We have also taken steps to avoid a similar situation recurring as this case has not met our usual high standards of service."

Merry Christmas to all.

MothballsWallet

BBDriver said:

Not a parking article but it is our old friends at APCOA with their usual level of competence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rjmp3z2nvo

A spokesperson for APCOA, the contractor used by the council to issue FPNs, said: "APCOA has already contacted the family concerned to apologise and confirm that the FPN has been cancelled.

"We have also taken steps to avoid a similar situation recurring as this case has not met our usual high standards of service."

Merry Christmas to all.

Highlighting is mine: do APCOA actually have standards, or is that just what they say publically to cover their behinds?

Nellymoser

The issue and management of FPN to a 5yr old was shocking but the real concern has to be the exposure of APCOA and Harrow Council blatantly lying in their Notices to obtain monies from the public.

"On 5/11/2024 at xxxxx you were witnessed by a uniformed officer, acting on behalf of Harrow Council committing the offence of fly-tipping."

The "you" being a 5yr old child in this case but how many others have been affected by this duo's FPN lies.

Trainerman

Nellymoser said:

The issue and management of FPN to a 5yr old was shocking but the real concern has to be the exposure of APCOA and Harrow Council blatantly lying in their Notices to obtain monies from the public.

"On 5/11/2024 at xxxxx you were witnessed by a uniformed officer, acting on behalf of Harrow Council committing the offence of fly-tipping."

The "you" being a 5yr old child in this case but how many others have been affected by this duo's FPN lies.

I find that very concerning myself. It actually suggests a habit of issuing fabricated charges. Surely not, who would do such a thing?

Jenni_D

It'll be a standard template letter .......................... now, who would complain about consumer's using template advice? 😉

Nellymoser

Nothing wrong with a standard template letter @Jenni_D if the information in it is factual.

Nellymoser

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24811485.darlingtons-mp-leads-calls-car-parking-reform/

MPs lobby the government to implement "statutory regulation" for the private parking sector.

Their "Dear Minister" letter reads:

"We are writing to raise serious concerns regarding the practices of private car parking companies, which are having a detrimental impact on our constituents.

Each of us has received numerous complaints from residents and visitors who believe they have been subjected to unclear and unfair practices by private car park operators. These complaints also highlight a troubling lack of clear recourse for appeal or resolution.

In many instances, drivers have faced significant financial penalties for late payment, even when they report making genuine efforts to comply. Contributing factors beyond their control include unclear or misleading signage, malfunctioning payment machines, and insufficient alternative methods for purchasing tickets.

Despite providing clear evidence to support their appeals, many of these drivers have had their cases rejected. Furthermore, some have reported facing disproportionate and stressful enforcement actions, including the threat or reality of court proceedings. Unsurprisingly, this has caused significant distress and financial hardship for those affected.

While we recognise the importance of addressing non-payment and misuse within the industry, it is evident that stronger safeguards are required to ensure consumers are treated fairly.

As you are aware, the previous Government sought to tackle these issues by introducing a mandatory code of practice through the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019. While this was a welcome step, the subsequent withdrawal of the code following a legal challenge from the car parking industry has effectively nullified its intended impact.

In its place, a voluntary code of practice, administered by the International Parking Community (IPC), came into effect in October this year. However, operators are not required to comply until late 2026. This delay, coupled with the voluntary nature of the code, raises serious concerns about its effectiveness.

Regrettably, three months after its introduction, we continue to receive complaints at a steady rate, which suggests that, as feared, the voluntary code will not be adequately adhered to. Furthermore, our correspondence with parking operators on these matters has frequently been met with a lack of meaningful engagement or, in some cases, unconstructive responses.

We believe that relying on self-regulation is insufficient. Time and again, statutory regulation has proven the most effective way to protect consumers in other sectors such as banking, energy, and telecommunications. It is clear that the same approach must be applied to the private parking industry.

We were encouraged by your recent comments in Parliament, where you expressed a commitment to raising standards in the private car parking industry and revisiting the Code of Practice. We strongly believe that implementing a robust, statutory framework is essential to provide the consumer protections that voluntary measures have failed to deliver.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss our constituents’ experiences. Their feedback could provide valuable insights to help shape the scope and content of any new approach to the Code.

We have copied this letter to the Chair of the Housing, Communities, and Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee, as we are aware that the Committee examined these issues during the previous Parliament. We would welcome further investigation into this matter to strengthen consumer protections.

Protecting consumers’ rights is a fundamental responsibility of Government, and we stand ready to provide any further information required to demonstrate the urgent need for reform in this area."

See also @Twinkle91 thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81177232/#Comment_81177232

Coupon-mad

Whichever ANPR 'outrageous scammer' purportedly manages parking at Manchester's Trafford Centre: you failed:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14239295/Fights-break-shopping-centre-motorists-stuck-car-park-FIVE-hours-hellish-traffic-jam.html

But no doubt, in your book of greed, things went very well for you that day, eh?!

Kerrrrchiiing!