Parking stories in the News/media

kryten3000

BBC Radio Nottingham's Breakfast with Dino this morning featured the recent case of Donna Nash who lost against Excel a week or so ago.  This was a miskeying case - the machines that prompt for payment after a single digit is entered.  Donna's interview is just after 8am (2 hours into the show) and Lynda Eagan one of the Facebook group admins was on around 7:40am (1 hour 40 into the show).  Lynda also appeared on the regional news the other day, but that's no longer available to watch.

Coupon-mad

kryten3000 said:

BBC Radio Nottingham's Breakfast with Dino this morning featured the recent case of Donna Nash who lost against Excel a week or so ago.  This was a miskeying case - the machines that prompt for payment after a single digit is entered.  Donna's interview is just after 8am (2 hours into the show) and Lynda Eagan one of the Facebook group admins was on around 7:40am (1 hour 40 into the show).  Lynda also appeared on the regional news the other day, but that's no longer available to watch.

I really hope Donna Nash appeals on the DJ's failure to apply the CRA 2015 wide-ranging (statutory duty) test of fairness, given that she had presented evidence that the machines do print tickets with just the first letter or two of a VRM.

Given that evidence, a term requiring full VRM entry is CLEARLY an unfair burden imposing a disproportionate penalty.

The term is impossible to perform if the machine screen moves onto payment too early, as shown in Lynda Eagan's video.

And if the Judge said 'there was no evidence that Excel's machines weren't working' he reversed the burden of proof and ignored her evidence.

Coupon-mad

Yet another Hospital inflicting the utter misery of Parking Eye on staff and patients:

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24945647.concerns-friarage-hospital-northallerton-car-park/

"UNISON and Unite have launched petitions, which have so far been signed by over 3000 people, calling for the trust to halt the implementation of Parkingeye’s system at The Friarage and James Cook hospitals.

A Unite regional officer emphasised the negative impact on NHS staff, saying:

“NHS staff are already under immense pressure, and the last thing they need is the added stress and financial drain of parking penalties simply for going to work. There are serious concerns about how this contract will impact workers, as well as patients and their families, who are likely to be experiencing difficult circumstances when visiting these hospitals.”

Parking Eye spouted their usual spiel.

And the NHS Trust fell for it, as always.

ANPR is not suitable in the hands of private firms whose income is mainly from penalising drivers.

I think operators should face similar, strict camera use restrictions as have applied to local authorities since the Deregulation Act 2015. 

Coupon-mad

We all love a good David Walsh article about Excel Parking Services giving up and discontinuing, and here's the latest one:

https://www.thestar.co.uk/business/consumer/excel-parking-sheffield-firm-pursues-driver-for-six-years-over-wrongly-issued-ps100-demands-5015392

Err...but what idiot told her to pay two £303 application fees shortly before the hearing that the CLAIMANT was due to pay peanuts for?

Katherine said, after being pursued since 2018:

“I gave Excel so many opportunities to discontinue their claim but they kept ignoring emails or sending generic ones.

Then they discontinued on the exact same day I pay the court fees!

“I feel like Excel is wasting court time, building up cases and getting lawyers and judges involved and then pulling out at the last minute. I think it’s shocking.”

She says court fees of £606 were refunded by the court “almost immediately”.

Eh?

Coupon-mad

This is worrying. PPC World will be all over it:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/parking-fines-london-borough-council-penalty-b2702221.html

Parking fines set to increase across London after councils say they aren’t a deterrent anymore

London councils say that it has been 13 years since the penalty charges were last reviewed

Penalties are split into two bands, Band A and Band B, and are dependent on the area or borough where the fine was issued.

Band A higher charges are currently set at £130, but London Councils want to see this raised to £160. Lower-level charges will rise from £80 to £110.

In Band B, higher-level charges would see an increase from £110 to £140 and lower-level from £60 to £90.

1505grandad

Private parking firms make requests for car owner data from DVLA every two seconds

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/private-parking-firms-make-requests-for-car-owner-data-from-dvla-every-two-seconds/ar-AA1Ani5z?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6043b43e9edb4d3e83a91675a7f16729&ei=51

"This equates to approximately 43,000 requests for vehicle ownership information by private parking companies every day. 

In total, private parking firms across Britain made a record 7.7million requests to the DVLA for vehicle keeper records in the first six months of the 2024/25 financial year. "

"The number of private parking firms accessing the DVLA data of motor owners increased by 45 per cent in the last five years, rising from 133 to 193 companies, the findings suggest. "

"Five private parking companies accounted for almost half of the vehicle keeper requests issued, with Parking Eye, Euro Car Parks and Horizon taking the top spots in the 2023/24 financial year. 

The DVLA is estimated to generate nearly £32million in revenue from parking management companies in 2023/24 by selling details."

Thorndorise

Thanks for this. I think the DVLA always state they make no profit from this, but with that amount of money, I am almost 100% sure the must. Time for them to start being more consumer friendly and not company friendly.

BikingBud

The extent of the problem and the connivance of DVLA in supporting this deplorable scam:

Private-parking-firms-make-requests-car-owner-data-DVLA-two-seconds.html

Five private parking companies accounted for almost half of the vehicle keeper requests issued, with Parking Eye, Euro Car Parks and Horizon taking the top spots in the 2023/24 financial year. 

The DVLA is estimated to generate nearly £32million in revenue from parking management companies in 2023/24 by selling details.

Coupon-mad

It's getting far, far worse, isn't it?  Nobody stops the excessive camera surveillance.

BikingBud

Coupon-mad said:

It's getting far, far worse, isn't it?  Nobody stops the excessive camera surveillance.

CM I sent a message of a draft I would like to send to my MP did you get chance to consider it?

 I will rework to include some of this but given the surge in the bad press and increasing levels of disquiet, disdain and disgust I feel it really has to be done now.