Parking stories in the News/media

Umkomaas

Coupon-mad said:

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!

Potentially thousands of PCNs currently in preparation. Await the inevitable avalanche here to start off 2025!  Can't wait. 😩

Fruitcake

Might I suggest from now on, when we advise posters to enact Plan A which should always include a complaint to the poster's MP, we suggest that they ask their MP to contact the other MP's mentioned in @Nellymoser 's posted links,

Parking stories in the News/media - Page 220 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

and also ask their MP when the mandatory parking code of practice will be introduced.

daveyjp

Having driven on the M1 the weekend before Christmas and seen the huge queue of traffic it may end up being a similar story at Meadowhell if they make the proposed time limit changes.

Nellymoser

Business Travel Association slams hike in Heathrow drop-off fee. CEO said "It is a blatant raid on travellers’ wallets"

https://thebusinesstravelmag.com/bta-slams-hike-in-heathrow-drop-off-fee/

From January 2025 Heathrow will increase its the charge from £5 to £6. The 20% increase follows previous price hikes in 2024.

Half_way

Broken payment machines ? or a more profitable way to operate

A couple were left fuming after being fined £100 for parking at a shopping centre, despite the ticket machine being broken.

Stephane Pendered says he and his wife visited the Peel Shopping Centre in Stockport on November 9 where they encountered a 'confusing' new parking rule.

Instead of paying on arrival, the new 'pay on exit' system required drivers to enter their vehicle registration to pay a fee before leaving.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/couple-fuming-over-100-parking-30681812

Trainerman

Half_way said:

Broken payment machines ? or a more profitable way to operate

A couple were left fuming after being fined £100 for parking at a shopping centre, despite the ticket machine being broken.

Stephane Pendered says he and his wife visited the Peel Shopping Centre in Stockport on November 9 where they encountered a 'confusing' new parking rule.

Instead of paying on arrival, the new 'pay on exit' system required drivers to enter their vehicle registration to pay a fee before leaving.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/couple-fuming-over-100-parking-30681812

I must have missed something. Despite the sanctimonious "they should have paid by RingGo " How are they supposed to pay an exit fee, if their reg number is not recognised ?? Surely RingGo will similarly fail?

Nellymoser

Broken paying machines again from a PPC. This is way beyond the joke, it's high time Trading Standards investigated this ongoing widespread problem.

You notice that Ocean Parking said "the appellant has the option of using RingGo to pay”  but omitted to confirm pay on exit is an option with RingGo. The appellant stated RingGo is normally pay on entry. 

I don't think we've missed something @Trainerman it's Ocean Parking that's missing something...skills in Parking Management.

Nellymoser

Follow up from 16th Nov post

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/perth-kinross/5153422/parking-watchdog-visiting-kinnoull-street-and-kinross-car-parks/

The reporter is way off by claiming BPA is a "Watchdog" and "a body set up to protect private car park customers" (oh if only) but great to hear Smart Parking will finally be kicked out of Kinnoull St car park when their lease ends.

While other councils are looking to farm out car parks to PPCs Perth and Kinross Council recognise the damage they can do and recently agreed to bring this city centre car park under council control.

At least Pete Wishart MP is now aware the CoP is ATA’S code. The BPA told him it will send an area manager to both locations to ensure both sites are complying with its newly-introduced CoP.

Would be more beneficial if BPA could see the problem with Smart's system...."the ANPR cameras show a different time to the app and it throws up a five-minute overstay.” 

Smart insists their "systems are working as they should"....the "as they should" is the concern.

Umkomaas

At least Pete Wishart MP is now aware the CoP is ATA’S code.

From reading the article, I'm not sure he does. Is there some other source confirming his full understanding of the difference between the sham BPA/IPC CoP and the statutory one?

Nellymoser

@Umkomaas sorry I don't have another source confirming his full understanding of the difference between the codes. I guess my interpretation of the article differs from yours.