Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

And another ANPR rip off, this time Smart Parking. Since April last year, customers have ten minutes to park and register their vehicle with staff. Because Christian was browsing the menu on his phone in the car, he overran the grace period by seven minutes.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-fined-100-browsing-menu-36254295.amp

GRAMMAR PEDANT WARNING:
But what annoyed me most was the use of the idiotically wrong phrase that has emerged in recent years: "step foot".

It's actually "set foot".

Sigh... I know the English language constantly evolves but do we really have to have stupid people changing phrases because they say what they hear and don't understand the words?

That one is almost as bad as people who say they did something "off my own back" (that one drives me mad. Of course it isn't "off your own back". It is a sporting term, think about it...grrr).

PEDANT MODE OVER.

---------------------------

#ANPR in the hands of private parking firms: ruining retail businesses and ripping off shoppers at a high street near you.

The IPC must be so proud.

Half_way

Some of the comments in that article are horrifically bad as well, such as this with two thumbs up

It is in your financial interests to pay a parking penalty quickly because the costs rise sharply if you leave it. You can still appeal after paying. Private parking companies profit from these rising charges and they structure the system so appeals almost never succeed. Telling people they do not need to pay only puts them at risk of turning a small charge into hundreds of pounds.

I would reply, but after posting a counter to some rubbish that either Kent live or Leicestershire live published, every thing i reply to on a Reach/Mirror site always ends with awaiting moderator approval or similar.

As for PPCs reducing parking times, some sties have a clause in their planning permission where the retail park/supermarket etc was permitted on the condition that they would allow for 4/6 or so hours of parking, typically to encourage people visiting the site/shop to also visit places and other businesses nearby 

Le_Kirk

Coupon-mad said:

Another day, another time limit at a multi-store retail park is reduced by a PPC because they weren't catching enough victims:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/why-can-t-they-just-make-it-pay-and-display-anger-over-332460/

"Euro Car Parks, which manages the site, reduced the limit from three hours to two in January. At one point, it had been four.

Someone, maybe from Kentonline could check the original planning permission and see if there was a restriction on the amount of time that had to be given and whether or not a variation order had been applied for and granted!

Thorndorise

Awaiting the slew of incorrectly given parking charges for this debacle! despite the claim they won't be charged

Four-hour car park queue amid city gridlock

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c397me7gprvo?

Drivers who faced four-hour queues to exit a shopping centre car park in central Bristol will not be charged if they left their vehicles overnight. Motorists in Bristol reported moving just a few feet after hours of waiting on Saturday afternoon, with dozens of cars unable to leave the Cabot Circus car park.

patient_dream

I hope that government and all the media read  this important thread.

Regarding the two articles above ny Coupon-mad ..... EURO AND SMART

It is clear that the BPA and IPC have both lost control of theirROGUE TRADERS. More so the ROGUE TRADERS run the BPA  

MothballsWallet

Coupon-mad said:

Another day, another time limit at a multi-store retail park is reduced by a PPC because they weren't catching enough victims:

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/why-can-t-they-just-make-it-pay-and-display-anger-over-332460/

"Euro Car Parks, which manages the site, reduced the limit from three hours to two in January. At one point, it had been four.

The change proved controversial with many shoppers feeling it did not provide sufficient time to peruse the big brand names located there, including TK Maxx, Hobbycraft, The Range and Asda Living.

A pensioner who shopped with a disabled passenger said: "two hours is not long enough for four big retail stores. Why make it free if it's only going to be two hours? Three hours is probably reasonable, but if you're going to knock it down to two hours, I would prefer to have done pay and display."

After taking her plight to social media, a retail worker from one of the shops at the site was able to help the pensioner..."

...other users were quick to point out that one of the 15 signs located in the large parking area still says “Maximum stay three hours”.

How the heck do the property agents fall for these time limit reductions? Are they stupid How do PPCs get away with this crap so often?

#ANPR in the hands of private parking firms: ruining retail businesses and ripping off shoppers at a high street near you.

The BPA must be so proud.

My experience with property agents for shopping parks is that they just don't care.

I lost my wallet once in one of these places, tried contacting the property agent to ask about lost property contacts, and they could not even be bothered to reply to me.

pinkelephant12

The Competition and Markets Authority has written to 100 businesses across 14 sectors outlining concerns about their use of additional fees and sales tactics.  This includes parking and airport parking.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-launches-major-consumer-protection-drive-focused-on-online-pricing-practices

Umkomaas

pinkelephant12 said:

The Competition and Markets Authority has written to 100 businesses across 14 sectors outlining concerns about their use of additional fees and sales tactics.  This includes parking and airport parking.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-launches-major-consumer-protection-drive-focused-on-online-pricing-practices

From the outset of the new regime, the CMA has been clear that it will act to protect consumers, support businesses that want to do the right thing and focus early enforcement action on the most egregious practices which are harmful to consumers. 

🍿 tick tock! 🍿

Nellymoser

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/people/im-going-to-see-if-i-can-re-appeal-angry-motorists-react-to-changes-at-parking-fine-hot-spot-5405575

Since the summer there's been a few articles about this issue...drivers angry at receiving £100 pcn for stopping seconds on double yellow lines to drop passengers off.

Parking Group Ltd and POPLA had rejected all appeals, one driver decided to take his case to the BPA.

No breach of CoP says BPA but during their investigation, it was "noted that some enhancements could be made to improve the clarity of the Terms and Conditions available at the site" (luv their choice of words).

Can't say I'm convinced after re-painting the yellow lines red the BPA's suggested signage "NO PARKING ON DOUBLE RED LINES” will improve the clarity.

Should it not be NO STOPPING ??

Car1980

No stopping rules are generally unenforceable unless you can offer the contract in a way that does not amount to "you agree to pay £100 if you read this sentence" and are not relying on telepathy.