Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

A man who was buying some slippers for his dying father has bravely fought back against an 'economic terrorist' parking firm after an error on his £1.50 ticket meant he was told he would be fined £100.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2140426/man-parking-fine-dying-father-slippers/amp

also in the Metro here:
https://metro.co.uk/2025/11/30/i-fighting-euro-car-parks-nearly-two-years-unfair-fine-24678956/amp/

"Matt Browne has faced almost a two-year battle after he parked at the Waterfront Car Park in Walsall last year on a trip to buy some more comfortable footwear for his father, Philip, who was fighting cancer.

Despite the machine taking Mr Browne's money, the ticket which was produced only featured the 'P' first letter of his car number plate. Mr Browne claimed it was a machine error as it should not be possible for a ticket to be produced without a valid registration.



He said after months of enduring "threatening" letters from a legal firm connected to Euro Car Parks, he has applied for a counterclaim in the courts for "stress, harassment and loss of earnings".

Hopefully he has pleaded it well! Maybe he's been helped by the good Facebook group. Hope so.

Walsall Council told Metro:

‘As an authority, Walsall Council has no jurisdiction over the operation or enforcement of private parking charges at this site. However, Walsall council has noted the circumstances and will monitor for any wider patterns of concern.

If there is evidence of unfair trading practices, such as persistent machine faults or misleading signage, we may investigate through our Trading Standards team.’

Metro continues:

Ben Romney and Sri Dayalan are in a similar situation after parking at Lullingstone Country Park in Kent, which led to a PCN. The beauty spot car park has reportedly seen the most fines for ‘major keying errors’ in the Kent County Council area. Keying errors were behind 17% of fines between January 2024 and January 2025, meaning there was a total of 295 penalties, according to council data reported by Kent Online.

Yes, this Walsall case is yet another machine failure from Euro Car Parks to add to all the others.

Of course a single letter P is a machine error (not driver error); we've seen the video evidence from Lynda Eagan of how it moves on to the payment screen after a single letter or two is typed.

ANPR and faulty machines in the grubby hands of the parking industry: ruining real (shop) businesses and destroying consumer confidence in the high streets.

The BPA must be so proud.

patient_dream

"I wouldn't be surprised if the landowners are getting a cut of parking charge notices." 

You are no doubt right. no doubt that the major supermarkets take a share as well

Nellymoser

Half_way said:

Its almost as if the parking industry is scripting certain phrases and terms to be used if the press start asking awkward questions, such as "fly parking" I wouldn't be surprised if the landowners are getting a cut of parking charge notices.

In 2019 when a linear parcel of land with 9 parking spaces off Newton Road in Great Barr was put up for auction the Tenancy Details stated

 “The parking provider will pay the owner £10 for every fine issued and paid on the site parking.”

https://www.bondwolfe.com/auctions/properties/90472-property-auction-birmingham/

PCN issues at the site today (posted by C-mad 30/11) 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anger-pizza-hut-customer-birmingham-083000275.html

kryten3000

Nellymoser said:

In 2019 when a linear parcel of land with 9 parking spaces off Newton Road in Great Barr was put up for auction the Tenancy Details stated

 “The parking provider will pay the owner £10 for every fine issued and paid on the site parking.”

https://www.bondwolfe.com/auctions/properties/90472-property-auction-birmingham/

PCN issues at the site today (posted by C-mad 30/11) 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anger-pizza-hut-customer-birmingham-083000275.html

So the landowner has so far received £0 because no fines have been issued?

Nellymoser

🤣🤣🤣  would have been interesting to see how much £ the site was making from 'fines' for the landowner in 2019. Assume this would have been revealed in the legal pack at the sale time...can't view it now.

Nellymoser

We should see more if this...

Shop ‘til you drop in Inverness and support local charities with free Christmas Park & Ride

https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/16992/shop_til_you_drop_and_support_local_charities_with_free_christmas_park_and_ride

Shoppers will benefit from a free weekend Park & Ride service this festive season, thanks to a joint initiative from The Highland Council, Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC and the Inverness Common Good Fund.

Running from 29 Nov to 28 Dec the service is free but voluntary donations are encouraged in support of two local charities: Highland Hospice and MFR Cash for Kids.

Umkomaas

Nellymoser said:

We should see more if this...

Shop ‘til you drop in Inverness and support local charities with free Christmas Park & Ride

https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/16992/shop_til_you_drop_and_support_local_charities_with_free_christmas_park_and_ride

Shoppers will benefit from a free weekend Park & Ride service this festive season, thanks to a joint initiative from The Highland Council, Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC and the Inverness Common Good Fund.

Running from 29 Nov to 28 Dec the service is free but voluntary donations are encouraged in support of two local charities: Highland Hospice and MFR Cash for Kids.

I think Smart Parking are rampant in that area of northern Scotland. I’m surprised they aren’t also involved in supporting this joint initiative. This is by far the best opportunity for them to help landowners to manage their car parks in this busy festive period.

……. Oh, wait!

Half_way

Nellymoser said:

Half_way said:

Its almost as if the parking industry is scripting certain phrases and terms to be used if the press start asking awkward questions, such as "fly parking" I wouldn't be surprised if the landowners are getting a cut of parking charge notices.

In 2019 when a linear parcel of land with 9 parking spaces off Newton Road in Great Barr was put up for auction the Tenancy Details stated

 “The parking provider will pay the owner £10 for every fine issued and paid on the site parking.”

https://www.bondwolfe.com/auctions/properties/90472-property-auction-birmingham/

PCN issues at the site today (posted by C-mad 30/11) 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anger-pizza-hut-customer-birmingham-083000275.html

And there was me thinking that stopping to load/unload goods (or passengers ) in this case pizza is not parking as per Jopson vs Homeguard

ChirpyChicken

May interest some
https://www.change.org/p/stop-charging-for-parking-at-park-and-ride-car-parks?utm_medium=custom_url&utm_source=share_petition&recruited_by_id=d997f190-6fef-11e7-a1d4-ab976e7f2f32