Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

Here's one more - courtesy of yet another "auto-PCN churning machine" ANPR firm Horizon:

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/business-owners-shoppers-handed-invalid-160000853.html

The article says they have positioned their ANPR camera so that it captures other areas with images of cars and drivers who are not even going to Tesco.  People using their business bays and a proper Council car park.

Great.  Nice work, Horizon.

Slap in the ANPR system somewhere near Tesco, and if there is any 'noise' only then might you sort out actually looking where you are filming people.  Yet in the meantime, you have illegally obtained people's data from the DVLA who hand it out like sweeties, no questions asked, no human intervention by anyone (so it appears).

And no doubt some were paid.  Usually by lease firms who also ask no questions. easy money, eh Horizon?

They've switched the camera off now to sort out the issue.  Too little, too late.

Coupon-mad

And Total Car Parks are reportedly ruining patients' peace of mind at this Hospital but are not refunding PCNs, despite the lack of additional signage to alert people to a new system:

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/hospital-parking-drama-continues-9282060/


Spot the difference in reactions to sorting out this 'outrageous scam' site:

A hospital spokesperson said:

"We have received around 25 emails from visitors regarding fines they received due to misunderstanding the requirements for the new car parking system. However, we have ensured that the fines have all been cancelled, and have provided advice on how they can pay for their parking in future.

"New signage outlining how the new system works will shortly be installed around the site and temporary signage will be put up in the meantime."

But Managing director for Total Car Parks, Essy Eslamian, responded saying:

 "Unfortunately, you have to go back to the hospital and talk to them. Obviously, we are working with them."

Regarding cancelling the fines issued to patients who have been caught out by the new rules, Mr Eslamian said: "I don't know about that, I cannot make a comment on that, but things have been dealt with. The hospital is aware and they are dealing with it."

Half_way

The issue here is that time and time and time again we see ANPR faults coming up on here, either the usual double dip, or the badly aimed camera /system

Its about time someone or some group took the big corporates such as Tesco to task over the actions of their agents , and if it results in a few Tesco managers ( or wherever) being taken to task and hit in the pocket via the personal liability part of GDPR then we might see ANPR being kicked off Tesco ( and other ) sites as it is wholly inappropriate as a sole means to issue tickets to vehicles

patient_dream

But Managing director for Total Car Parks, Essy Eslamian, responded saying:

 "Unfortunately, you have to go back to the hospital and talk to them. Obviously, we are working with them."

Regarding cancelling the fines issued to patients who have been caught out by the new rules, Mr Eslamian said: "I don't know about that, I cannot make a comment on that, but things have been dealt with. The hospital is aware and they are dealing with it."

What a FOB OFF and rubbish by this MD ..... 

The only way out for the hospital is to kick Total Car Parks into the long grass buy I suppose the follish hospital has signed a very expensice get out contract..

The NHS needs money yet they sign up to a scammers contract ?  

If every hospital terminated the cowboys, how much do you think they would have to pay in total?

We the tax payers have signed up to this .... what would Rishi say ???

Coupon-mad

Here's a Lichfield article, about Euro Car Parks:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/motorist-fined-100-over-1-28392685.amp

Not only are they getting £2 from every single driver, instead of the £1 Sunday rate (due to a reportedly wrongly set machine) but they are (allegedly) automatically churning out PCNs on Sundays for all those visitors who stay over 4 hours...even though the £1 is an advertised all-day Sunday rate.

Kerchiiiing!  Rip-off money accumulating every Sunday for ECP.

The BPA must be so proud of how their ANPR AOS members 'work'.  Appallingly, in our experience.

Coupon-mad

APCOA ruining rail passengers' peace of mind at Oakhampton station, issuing reams of automated ANPR rip-off £100 charges, despite passengers finding no way to pay at the station car park (unless you have a phone or internet access):
https://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/news/okehampton-train-passengers-feel-threatened-with-unfair-parking-tickets-571280

If you are there to catch a particular train and normally pay by card, you don't have time to read alternative terms and faff about downloading a stupid APCOA app (and not everyone wants to, even if they have a phone).

What are people catching trains meant to do, leave and park somewhere else if they find the parking ticket machine at the station isn't working?

Ridiculous.

These are probably issued as pseudo 'penalties' and will time out after 6 months and nothing will happen.  But will those victims Google it and come here?

KeithP

Coupon-mad said:

APCOA ruining rail passengers' peace of mind at Oakhampton station...

What a shame.

'The railway' - i.e. you, me, the taxpayer - has spent millions over the last two or three years re-opening the railway line from Okehampton to Exeter....
Introduction of passenger services to Okehampton

And now the exact same organisation - the wholly government owned Network Rail - has introduced a scheme which will undoubtedly turn customers away.

How to promote kill a business without trying!

Coupon-mad

Civil Enforcement scaring the hell out of a pensioner with £100 demand because it seems he 'took too long' to make their machine work and needed help to pay, when parking at Wells Next the Sea:
https://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/mans-dismay-over-wells-parking-fine-9352376

As soon as the newspaper stepped in, of course CEL lifted the good old 'BPA AOS member' carpet, swept the dirt under it by cancelling the unfair PCN and hoped to avoid the bad publicity.

Never mind that it appears they nearly given the poor guy a heart attack and he was so scared that he nearly paid it.

With each and every unfair auto-PCN (mostly issued by ANPR with no human intervention) there are human victims.

Even when the PCN is cancelled the person remembers it, vows never to return and high streets and other businesses suffer.

Fruitcake

Disabled motorist scammed for arriving two minutes before the store opened.

Shopper with disabled badge slammed with £70 parking fine at ASDA in South London for 'arriving 2 minutes before store opened' (msn.com)

BikingBud

Coupon-mad said:Here's a Lichfield article, about Euro Car Parks:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/motorist-fined-100-over-1-28392685.amp
Not only are they getting £2 from every single driver, instead of the £1 Sunday rate (due to a reportedly wrongly set machine) but they are (allegedly) automatically churning out PCNs on Sundays for all those visitors who stay over 4 hours...even though the £1 is an advertised all-day Sunday rate. 

Kerchiiiing!  Rip-off money accumulating every Sunday for ECP.

The BPA must be so proud of how their ANPR AOS members 'work'.  Appallingly, in our experience.

Also:


Is that legal?