Parking stories in the News/media

kryten3000

This one is about charges issued by a London Borough.  Blue badge holding driver using courtesy cars.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/sep/24/ive-racked-up-3000-in-pcns-on-the-school-run-despite-my-blue-badge

Nellymoser

OMG.....GXS Services REJECT an appeal from a first aid volunteer who was hit with a £100 pcn while battling to save a man's life.

Zac Street, a community first responder, was attending the medical emergency when his car received the ticket for overstaying a 30min limit without authorisation.

The 32-year-old, who volunteers with the GoodSAM initiative, was called to Hollingbury Golf Course in Brighton after a person had suffered a cardiac arrest. 

I imagine in emergency situations like this reading the car park T&Cs signs and getting authorisation to stay longer than time stated was last thing on Zac's mind when he knew a collapsed person's heart had stopped but it seems GXS Services think otherwise.

In their letter to Zac they said: “The signage on site including several you must pass to enter the car park, clearly explain the terms and conditions of parking, by continuing to park, you are deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions displayed on the signage accordingly,” 

His pcn was eventually cancelled but only after Zac contacted his local newspaper. Wise move, a second stage industry appeal would have gone to the IAS and there's little hope of a cancellation from their adjudicators.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25476927.saltdean-man-gets-parking-fine-trying-save-life/

Coupon-mad

Blackburn PureGym user's anger at no 24-hour parking

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/comments/25491978/?callback=in&code=NDIYYTC0NZMTYWQXMY0ZYTDMLTGWMGETODZKNJVMNTVLNWQ3&state=4b3b98cfc3f64a1aa89d1b5d424e54c7

A spokesperson for (supposedly open 24 hours) PureGym said: "The car park is not operated by PureGym, and this week we were made aware that a small number of members had been mistakenly issued parking fines by the car park operator.

"We urge anyone who has received such a fine to contact PureGym Blackburn, and we can arrange for a full refund to be issued.

"We apologise to any affected members and are working with the landlord and car park operator to ensure no further fines are issued and all signage is correct."

Nice work NPC. Run a car park that prohibits overnight parking but there's a 24 hour gym in site offering free parking to members!

Why not rip off patrons and ruin high street retail and businesses, NPC? Call that parking management?

Useless.

The comments amused me:

Le_Kirk

Coupon-mad said:

Blackburn PureGym user's anger at no 24-hour parking

"We urge anyone who has received such a fine to contact PureGym Blackburn, and we can arrange for a full refund to be issued.

Let's hope the refund came from the PPC because of cancellation of the PCN and not from the till of the gym!

MothballsWallet

Le_Kirk said:

Coupon-mad said:

Blackburn PureGym user's anger at no 24-hour parking

"We urge anyone who has received such a fine to contact PureGym Blackburn, and we can arrange for a full refund to be issued.

Let's hope the refund came from the PPC because of cancellation of the PCN and not from the till of the gym!

If I were the gym company, I'd refund from the till first, recording everything, then get the legal department to issue a MCOL for the amount + costs + any applicable interest. Might be easier than having to (metaphorically) poke NCP every time they owe money.

Castle

The MothballsWallet said:

Le_Kirk said:

Coupon-mad said:

Blackburn PureGym user's anger at no 24-hour parking

"We urge anyone who has received such a fine to contact PureGym Blackburn, and we can arrange for a full refund to be issued.

Let's hope the refund came from the PPC because of cancellation of the PCN and not from the till of the gym!

If I were the gym company, I'd refund from the till first, recording everything, then get the legal department to issue a MCOL for the amount + costs + any applicable interest. Might be easier than having to (metaphorically) poke NCP every time they owe money.

The Gym should be going after the Landlord for commercial losses as well.

Nellymoser

A 'frustrated' group of Stockport residents are calling for parking system at the Peel Centre to be changed, arguing it is 'unfair and aggressive'.

They claim that hundreds of customers have received expensive pcns due to Ocean Parking's unclear signage, non-user friendly pay machines, and an opaque appeals process.

https://stockport.nub.news/news/local-news/stockport-residents-frustrated-with-unfair-and-aggressive-peel-centre-parking-system-273310

Stockport MP Navendu Mishra said he was 'concerned' by reports of unfair practices. "I have been in contact with Ocean Parking and I have pressed relevant ministers about private parking operators, the apparent biases in the adjudication process conducted by the Independent Appeals Service, and an urgent need for reform."

Ocean Parking said in its defence that their system had improved safety, fairness, and customer experience. They also said footfall had increased by 47% in the last 12 months.

They explained that, since taking over, the company had replaced outdated pay machines, introduced a security team, and reduced congestion from commuters.

"In order to achieve this, new and updated signage, which has been reviewed and audited by our governing body and which conforms with the new Single Code of Conduct, has been installed across the site, thus facilitating a much easier customer journey."

"Going forward, if any customer believes that the penalty charge notice they have received has been issued incorrectly, then they have the ability to appeal via Ocean Parking and if necessary, the Independent Appeals Service, a facility offered to customers that is in no way influenced by operators."  

Wonder if MHCLG will agree with Ocean Parking's statement on IAS after the consultation responses have been analysed.

Snakes_Belly

I am not posting this because of the Go-Fund Me link but to show what some local businesses are up against. This is the owner of a small cinema and restaurant that does fantastic food located at a marina where there are a number of eateries and individual shops. I thought that Coupon might be interested in this story. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-fund-legal-fees-to-challenge-unfair-parking-charges?attribution_id=sl:2aaf5c4c-2b28-409e-99f5-bbd5cfa59fa3&lang=en_GB&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Further to the above it seems that the charges have been put on hold because of the legal challenge. £1.00 per hour will kill businesses like the Red Carpet where people go for a meal and a film. 

https://inburtoninsider.co.uk/a/barton-marina-parking-charges?fbclid=IwY2xjawNHelFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBUQVN5R3VQTEFxbHVBUTc0AR4HmtWqdI1YYV4y2whcM1a_6c5ONXKCdWwNlKl4ent2RHNU-q8yNksvy0622A_aem_XNoYZ91GutPheLUFg7Xgwg

Coupon-mad

Yep I think we already have this one posted earlier on this thread.

Snakes_Belly

Coupon-mad said:

Yep I think we already have this one posted earlier on this thread.

I would be very sorry to see her business fold. I don't know her personally but I do sometimes go to the Red Carpet for a film and a meal.