Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

Disabled Hospital patients in Northampton are still getting PCNs:

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/people/northampton-general-hospital-issues-reminder-to-disabled-motorists-on-how-to-use-car-park-correctly-to-avoid-an-ps80-fine-5505190

"Northampton General Hospital (NGH) has issued a statement following claims that disabled patients and visitors are still being fined despite a previous fault in the parking’s computer system being fixed.

The idiots said:

“It is important that each blue badge holder registers their vehicle on every visit to the hospital using the sign-posted directions on how to do this on site – or follow the instructions on our website. Given that ANPR cameras monitor all vehicles, any vehicle that isn’t registered will receive penalty notices."

So, the Hospital thinks these are 'penalties' and that it is perfectly OK to ask disabled people to take extra steps ON EVERY VISIT … just because their agent wants to use ANPR and harvest 'special category' data for no fair justification and in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

Their latest idea - due to yet more PCNs issued causing social media criticism - is to (effectively) BLAME THE DISABLED VICTIMS OF THE SCAM and issue a 'reminder' (that few will see and even fewer will look on the website) about how disabled people should have to faff about and 'register' their blue badges EVERY TIME as well as display them.

Nobody expects that to be a thing.

And it's only a thing because this rogue industry has seen an opportunity to run all bays remotely (cheaply) and rinse lots of disabled people, the more elderly or vulnerable of whom will just pay.

One wonders why the hospital didn't engage their brains and realise what the real problem is here - and it's not the disabled drivers.

The problem is excessive use of ANPR which is being deployed against disabled motorists inappropriately and in breach of data protection and disability legislation.

Coupon-mad

One Parking Solution allegedly issued a parking charge on public highway:

Electrician Andy Dickens refusing to pay charge issued by One Parking for parking in Hillcroft Close, Lymington

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/it-s-bogus-electrician-fined-by-private-company-for-par-9452070/

…cowboy firm?

(That's what a Sunday newspaper called OPS a while back).

I could only see this snippet:

Coupon-mad

87 year old victim of UKPS & DR Plus actually paid £160 as it was distressing him:

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/people/pensioner-87-left-with-ps160-parking-fine-over-misunderstanding-during-11-minute-visit-to-banbury-charity-shop-5496737

Allen Clegg, 87, visited the BHF charity furniture store in October in the hopes of picking up a bed frame.

As he has done in the past when purchasing items from the store, Allen parked his car in the small parking area to the rear of the shop. He said: “At the back of the shop, there is a customer collection sign and another sign informing drivers they cannot park for longer than 20 minutes, so I thought I knew the system and it would be ok to visit the store quickly.”

He says it took him 11 minutes to park his car, walk to the front of the store, enquire about bed frames (of which there weren’t any in stock) and then return to his car. A couple of weeks later, Mr Clegg received a notice from UKPS.

In the hopes of appealing, Mr Clegg travelled to Leamington, where UKPS are located, but says he was unable to find their office, as the company’s address leads to a residential area.

He spoke with staff at BHF in Banbury, who, according to Mr Clegg, told him ‘that this happens all the time’ and ‘to leave it with them and they would speak to head office and sort it’. However, in December he received another letter, this time from debt collectors Debt Recovery Plus, informing him he was now due to pay the full amount of £160.

Mr Clegg says he is disappointed because he thought that speaking to BHF would have solved the problem - but instead, as more time passed, the fine only grew larger.

After being left on hold for over half an hour when trying to appeal it with DR Plus, he finally paid. He said:

“I paid the fine just so I could sleep peacefully because I was thinking about it all the time, and it was causing me stress. The whole experience has put me off visiting Banbury again, and I want to make other people aware of what is going on in this area of town.”

Nellymoser

https://discover.swns.com/2026/02/mum-given-100-parking-fine-three-years-on-and-its-now-too-late-to-appeal/

Monika Wentowska was told it was too late to appeal the Parking Eye pcn too much time has passed already.

The PCN was for a breach of the 4hr ‘no returns’ policy in March 2023. A policy Ms Wentowska was unaware of. A rule she says is ridiculous.

She said the infringement alleged was so long ago that she can’t recall why she went to the Whitstable Prospect Way Retail Park in the first place, let alone why she returned and who keeps their shopping receipts from three years ago.

In the article PE admits the first PCN was sent in April 2025, Monika says she didn't receive it but did receive their final notice in the November. They went on to say “We granted the motorist a late appeal however they failed to provide any evidence that they were a genuine customer and the appeal was rejected.

“The motorist still has the right to a further appeal with POPLA, the independent Ombudsman.” But POPLA don't consider mitigating circumstances do they PE so what's the point in Monika appealing to them.

Nellymoser

Contradictory parking signs at Oxford Churchill Hospital is causing drivers to park in the wrong area and receive £100 pcns.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0ngm0rl3zo

A Parking Eye sign now states this zone is for "blue badge holders only" but directly next to it is an NHS sign stating "blood test parking only".

Terry Nicholls attends 3mthly for blood tests. At his Jan visit a nurse told him to expect a ticket for parking in the same area he had previously used.

His wife said lots of other people were also confused. The couple want to warn others as "it's a lot of money, £100 is a week's food shopping money or could go towards your heating bill."

Parking Eye has not responded but an OUH spokesperson apologised for any confusion caused by the blood test sign and said they were trying to work out "how it got there and remove it". 🤔 Maybe the Parking Charge fairy put it there 🤣

Stating an appeals process is available and all money raised from parking charges goes back into patient and visitor services is hardly helpful to those drivers affected.

Nellymoser

A Birmingham mum had her appeal rejected by Euro Parking Services for parking outside a bay for 8mins in a city car park which was blanketed in snow.

And she was told to pay £100 as "the discounted settlement period had lapsed".

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/birmingham-nurse-fined-100-over-073503699.html

But as soon as BirminghamLive called the firm to ask about Lynette's charge a grovelling apology letter was issued that day.

“I am writing to you on behalf of the Enforcement Department at Euro Parking Services Ltd to offer our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused by the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) recently issued to your vehicle.

“Upon thorough review, we have identified that this PCN was issued incorrectly due to human error on our part.

“As soon as this oversight was recognised, we took immediate action to rectify the situation.

“We have addressed the fault in our process to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.

“Furthermore, we are reaching out to all affected motorists, including yourself, to notify you that the inorrect PCN has been cancelled.”

Shame on you Euro Parking Services for claiming this was an "oversight" as soon as the media questioned your practice.

MothballsWallet

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81876037#Comment_81876037

Does Euro Parking Services really employ actual humans or do they just hire the cheapest workforce they can so that they can maximise their profits and shareholder bubbly?

patient_dream

 advanced car park management systems

That's what Euro Parking Services say on their web site ? Clearly it was a goon on walkabout

Nellymoser

Euro Parking Services website says that but their 365 Google 178 Trustpilot reviews portray a very different story. You'll even find a recent negative review from a business owner on Google.

EPS are one that will flag their reviews. They reply to most but it's just a copy/paste job signing off with a 🤮 "warm regards".

Like the review responder at DRP they stupidly tell reviewers to use a system that the reviewers say in their review they'd tried but found it didn't work! EPS say they correct their system faults but it would appear not according to their reviews. A case of can't or won't?

IMO it's utterly scandalous the DVLA continue to share our data with companies like this just because they are a member of IPC or BPA.

Car1980

https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/25833826.pub-customers-wrongly-fined-parking-cameras-reactivated/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcAP3yDFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe47VHbGVYPJT795x-UWaIoh7hS-L6FOUapqBmqqPFrM0Emfll9qMZo7N7OUg_aem__SAkD3f2HoxpGe9dR8Iemw#Echobox=1770700019

Rule 1 of private parking - don't ticket the local MP.