Parking stories in the News/media

Jenni_D

The problem (in battling against this new methodology) is that it's already used in a number of other settings, so has some traction as it were. For example, the Tyne Tunnel now uses ANPR and requires payment online (if you haven't already setup an account with payment details) by midnight the following day otherwise a PCN is sent to the RK. Granted though that there are several signs on approach to the tunnel, but people still forget/don't notice/don't look.

LoneStarState

Jenni_D said:

The problem (in battling against this new methodology) is that it's already used in a number of other settings, so has some traction as it were. For example, the Tyne Tunnel now uses ANPR and requires payment online (if you haven't already setup an account with payment details) by midnight the following day otherwise a PCN is sent to the RK. Granted though that there are several signs on approach to the tunnel, but people still forget/don't notice/don't look.

All well and good for the likes of the Tyne Tunnel/Dartford Crossing etc.  The difference for airports is that the initial charge is for dropping off passengers, not driving through the road section.  And of course, there's the non relevant land aspect as well so that registered keepers can never be held liable unless they admit to being the driver.

The deliberate lack of integrity in the system would make for an amusing form of protest whereby an armada of cars could just repeatedly drive through the drop off point without dropping off and would never be liable in the first place, regardless of the POFA get out.  Would cost the PPCs a pretty penny in pointless keeper requests.

Half_way

Nellymoser said:

Travel firm now adds their voice to the ongoing Manchester Airport saga.

The CCO of Manchester-based online travel agent On The Beach has written an open letter to the airport and APCOA asking them to reconsider the 24-hour payment deadline for drop-off fees and urged them to give people 48 hours to pay.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/holiday-firm-calls-manchester-airport-135521762.html

East Midlands Airport to introduce £1 Drop off fee ( old article, 5th July 2010)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10507564

Using an online Bank of England inflation calculator would put this £1 rapid drop off fee at £1.55 if it had risen in line with inflation 

 Drop off fees at airports should be outlawed, the old system at EMA worked fine, as long as you were quick and initially less than 30 minutes, (then 20 then 15 then 10 ) there were no additional costs to using the drop-off areas, as after all you were bringing trade in, as in people to the airport and the threat of having to put money into a machine albeit a relatively small sun ( i think it was £2.50 if you overstayed)  into a machine to get out was enough to make sure you got out of there ASAP.

Extortionate drop off fees and VCS patrolling the perimeter roads - where lets face it pausing on quite a section  of road, or passengers getting out at the petrol station is not an obstruction, However the risk of being scammed /stung has had a knock on effect elsewhere.

 North west Leicestershire county council or the highways' agency have responded by putting down real double red lines on the main road outside the airport, (making no longer possible to stop in a safe place that does not cause an obstruction) and for example  then going for a walk down into Diseworth.

 

And as for places like Diseworth, the antics at the airport have just resulted in an increase of Taxi drivers (and others) sitting there with their engines chugging away waiting to take the plunge at the airport up the road.

 So the PPC antics at airports do not solve nay perceived issues, it just shifts things into the communities around the airports that have enough issues from the airport to start with 

BMWF30

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/apr/07/no-sign-of-any-u-turn-on-match-day-parking-scam-near-old-trafford

I know this article is a few month old, but I'm concerned that the Guardian columnist advised the reader to basically suck it up and pay for this 'parking fine'. 

Coupon-mad

Next up, Group Nexus have frightened a disabled motorist at a hospital for no apparent reason whatsoever:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx29k9294wko.amp
 

The BPA must be so proud.

patient_dream

AGAIN ..... the BPA are simply not fit for purpose but will government wake up to this OR ..... do they want the public to be scammed forever

The government should get rid of of the BPA and IPC money making scam clubs and start all over again

Half_way

patient_dream said:

AGAIN ..... the BPA are simply not fit for purpose but will government wake up to this OR ..... do they want the public to be scammed forever

The government should get rid of of the BPA and IPC money making scam clubs and start all over again

The BPA and the IPC are both private members trade associations, they are there to protect their members interests, and in my opinion they are carrying out that role well.

The government can not get rid of them as they are not a government agency.

 What they can do however is to instruct the DVLA to turn off the  data access and only allow manual forms as an acceptable method to obtain RK data, signed by the person requesting the data, the reasons for and countersigned by the landowner ( where the PPC does not own the land) and a third party independent.

 As well as prohibiting ANPR cameras and CCTV  where used to generate parking charge notices

Coupon-mad

Half_way said:

...prohibiting ANPR cameras and CCTV  where used to generate parking charge notices

This will need legislation and the ICO waking up to smell the coffee but I reckon it will be needed in future.

Possibly even this, too:

What they can do however is to instruct the DVLA to turn off the  data access and only allow manual forms as an acceptable method to obtain RK data, signed by the person requesting the data, the reasons for and countersigned by the landowner ( where the PPC does not own the land) and a third party independent.

Right now it feels like the Government seem to be falling for the industry spiel.

Hope I'm wrong but even my first skim-read of the Consultation rang huge alarm bells that somebody in Government isn't getting the level of consumer harm caused by rinsing people of a billion pounds every year for jumped up excuses.

The last Government got it. They said it as it is 'extorting money from motorists'. Their main (big) mistake was not being seen to consult. They didn't get the 2022 Code wrong (albeit it missed the threat of ANPR and CCTV overuse, had some zero consideration periods -madness - and forgot to add the 'best practice' pre-escalation reminder letters from the BPA CoP).

They just couldn't show they'd consulted properly.

I can see that this Government is consulting... and I can see why they have removed anything that would require changes to signage.

They clearly don't want further delay. I get that.

But on my initial skim-read I think they are wide of the mark and are bending over backwards to accommodate a rotten industry. It's worrying.

patient_dream

Government / DVLA gave them ATA status and they take it away as the BPA and IPC have both made a mockery and abused the public by allowing money scammers and cowboys to operate.

I agree that rules which allow parking compan buties to obtain persoal information should be harder  but if landowner permission etc, it would mean manual checking by the DVLA  whereas now it's fully automatic and is a simple cash machine for the DVLA

Over the last year, government has made mega mistakes AND it would be a crime against the public to go to bed with a scam industry. The code must be very strict and should lead to terminations

My concern is that the new code arrives that to parking industry create another JR and government does another U-TURN which they are now famous for. due to ignorance ?  

A single appeals serive is required because POPL and the IAS are useless

Coupon-mad

Coupon-mad said:

South West Lakes Trust have still not learned their lesson, where lakeside cafes closed in 2024, citing complaints about Smart Parking as a cause because it had affected business:

2024:

"the café owners said its staff have been receiving abuse regarding the car park when customers receive fines. The café took to Facebook to explain the situation with regards to parking on site - adding that it has been dealing with a number of complaints"

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/caf-owners-speak-out-after-9415816

Soon, they had enough and closed:

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/popular-lakeside-cafs-announce-closure-9648995.amp

"Two popular lakeside cafes in Cornwall have closed their doors for good after a "seemingly endless barrage of challenges" faced by the owners. The Wild Vibes Cafes at two resevoir beauty spots closed their doors for the final time. The café at Argal Lake near Penryn initially opened in 2017 and, following its success, the owners opened a second venue at Stithians Lake in 2020."

The noise hasn't stopped:

https://www.bude-today.co.uk/news/south-west-lakes-trust-defend-new-roadford-parking-system-amid-backlash-709893

...but SWLT has inflicted Smart Parking at other lakes, too:

2025:

Private car parking enforcement putting locals off local lakes

https://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/news/private-car-parking-enforcement-putting-locals-off-local-lakes-814792

https://www.siblybacklake.co.uk/2024/11/anpr-parking-at-siblyback-lake.html?m=1

That was this month.

Yet more back in January:

The local Councillor has had to get involved to offer help and the Olive & Co. Cafe has also posted, having suffered from the same issues that caused the other cafes to close:

Reportedly, it's driving locals and visitors away for good. Loads of people have reported £100 rip off charges arriving, despite paying to park or being an authorised patron / friend of SWLT.

There have been endless complaints where SWLT have had to get involved but they still don't get it that this is causing lost visitor numbers:

Now THAT'S a jolly wheeze!

See above. Smart let the registered VRMs lapse every year, even if patrons renew their membership. Seems it is as clear as mud but you have to re-register your VRM annually. Separately.

"If any of our members or friends have any concerns, they can contact us on info@swlakestrust.org.uk.”

When will you learn, SWLT? 

Cornish Times has now picked up this issue:

Visitors put off local beauty spots with ANPR

https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/visitors-put-off-local-beauty-spots-with-anpr-815584

SWLT is still squealing like a pig:

"A spokesperson for the charity said:

“The ANPR is operated by Smart Parking on behalf of South West Lakes Trust. Smart Parking are responsible for ANPR signage and any enforcement action. It says ANPR encourages people to pay for parking and the technology will hopefully also deter fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour."

Hmmm - how on earth did Smart Parking manage to get this utter codswallop past the eejit spokesperson:

"ANPR encourages people to pay for parking"

"will hopefully also deter fly-tipping"

and

"deter ... anti-social behaviour."

ANPR merely prints as many PCNs as possible from AI images. It does none of the above.