Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

Lidl opened at a retail park in Hants but eitger UKPC and/or the retail park agents couldn't be bothered to even give it a moment's thought to check opening hours and change the signs to allow people shopping in Lidl to park till 10pm:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1669319/shoppers-Farnborough-Lidl-fined-supermarket-parking-open/amp

Despite it being raised (and supposedly changed) now, the signs are reportedly still not sorted:

"As of September 13, the signs in the car park still say only until 9pm in contrast to the larger signs promoting the store closing time of 10pm. Express Online has contacted UKPC for comment."

Half_way

Coupon-mad said:

Lidl opened at a retail park in Hants but eitger UKPC and/or the retail park agents couldn't be bothered to even give it a moment's thought to check opening hours and change the signs to allow people shopping in Lidl to park till 10pm:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1669319/shoppers-Farnborough-Lidl-fined-supermarket-parking-open/amp

Despite it being raised (and supposedly changed) now, the signs are reportedly still not sorted:

"As of September 13, the signs in the car park still say only until 9pm in contrast to the larger signs promoting the store closing time of 10pm. Express Online has contacted UKPC for comment."

Im sure that the issue of supermarket/shops open until 10  (for example) PPC issues parking charges for parking after 8 or 9 (for example)

Here are a few other examples, there are probably quite a few more


https://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/supermarket-reversal-over-parking-fines-7979138

https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/17266593/fined-parking-free-aldi-carpark-never-had-problem/amp/

Coupon-mad

This article doesn't even mention the operators' names, let alone seek a response from the PPCs in question but it's all about confusion between adjacent car parks:
https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/22478289.claims-drivers-trapped-confusing-signage/

A Bransby Wilson logo on that sign shows us that this is Minster Baywatch at work.  What a jolly wheeze, catching people who honestly pay and display, for £90 a pop.

Coupon-mad

Disabled motorist - a driver with a terminally ill husband - gets a PCN from ParkingEye for 'overstaying' when charging their car.
https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/22564351.northallerton-woman-hits-90-fine-lidl-car-park/

Instead of Lidl or ParkingEye immediately backing down now this is in the press, they've both just spouted complete nonsense and repeated the 'rules' like they apply to Motability cars (which they don't).  Yawn... Equality Act, anyone?

Fixed time limit policies like the 90 minutes to whizz round the store/charge your car DON'T reasonably apply to people with mobility problems who need longer.  

That was all Lidl or ParkingEye needed to say.

But no.

Quelle surprise.

Trainerman

Really awful and I feel for the people concerned. It does though give us good proof again about the real priorities of these scammers, and how flawed the 'system' really is

Half_way

Added little complication, is that the She had pre paid for the use of the chargers but none were available so had to wait for one to become available.

 Wasn't  there/isnt there something about waiting is not parking?

Hopefully ( although unlikely) the person involved will find this place and post on here

Umkomaas

She had pre paid for the use of the chargers but none were available so had to wait for one to become available.

I'm not sure 'pre-paid' is wholly accurate. With EV charge point operators like PodPoint, you basically load your payment card with funds, for use at any time. It's not as though the money would have evaporated if she chose not to charge on that day. 

I've mentioned this stunt at Lidl/PE sites here previously, where fully charging many EVs from empty can take upwards of 2 hours, but with a 90 minute time limit, it has the hallmarks of a honey trap. I'm sure that potential hasn't been overlooked by PE. 

Coupon-mad

Excel reportedly ripping someone off, as per usual:
https://metro.co.uk/2022/09/24/diabetic-fuming-at-getting-parking-ticket-after-suffering-fit-at-the-wheel-17439971/amp/

The poor duped victim actually tried IAS, thinking it was a real/independent appeals service.

This is why the new Single Appeals Service must be able to consider and give weight to mitigating circumstances and fairness.

Coupon-mad

PPC victim and lazy journalist can't be bothered to look at the BPA CoP and see that the 10 minute grace period certainly exists and has done for years now:
https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-man-warns-drivers-little-7619904.amp

Pointless article IMHO.  Really frustrating.

Why would a journalist think that the 10 minute minimum grace period on private land is something 'new' and that it's somehow been 'withdrawn' just because the new DLUHC Code of Practice is temporarily stalled?

Come on, read the right Code...do a tad of research before printing an article.  It's also a non-story because the POPLA appeal will be won if he was only there 10 mins over the parking time paid.

...or preferably (to the victim) come here first, appeal as registered keeper (not driver) and secure 100% slam dunk win v Smart that was awaiting this keeper, had he Googled it first.

Coupon-mad

ParkingEye refused to cancel (and threatened a guy with court) even though he had a valid permit and had explained he was at the Hospital with his dying wife:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11250313/Father-one-47-hit-70-parking-fine-visited-dying-wife-hospital.htmlp

Of course they've reportedly cancelled it only now that the Daily Fail got the story...