Parking stories in the News/media

1505grandad

Does Which? really advise this?:-

"Then, if the independent adjudicator disagrees with you, your final option is to take the parking company to court. But do this and lose and you'll have to cover its legal costs too. For more information, head to which.co.uk."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/parking-tickets-that-can-go-straight-in-the-bin-when-you-don-t-have-to-pay/ar-AA24xCm7?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6a1d7f93218a49ff9252752a0c32b750&ei=54

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4pwkkn94xo

Regular customers told one business owner the new fees would affect how often they visit her restaurant on the promenade. A £3.50 parking fee on top of their coffee will not be something they can afford every day.

Councillor Gareth Davies said surveys in other towns had found that introducing parking fees did not have a negative effect on businesses and tourists.

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82018742#Comment_82018742

Why don't they check their facts?!

As we all know

• you don't "take them" to court;
• you don't have to "pay its legal costs" merely small fees if you're sued & lose;
• Almost nobody who defends loses;
• the appeals are a farce;
• the figure of 14 million PCNs per year is waaaay out of date and under by 4m.
  

Nellymoser

Some better news:

In a bid to boost retail and the night-time economy free parking will be on offer after 15:00, Mon to Fri, in four council-owned car parks in Peterborough city centre.

The trial will take place later this year at car parks in Bishop's Road, Car Haven, Riverside and Pleasure Fair Meadow

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c202z4y87j6o

AND

A free parking scheme will be introduced in mid-June across parts of West Suffolk

The changes will see the first hour free in some car parks in Haverhill and Newmarket, and free parking between 08:00 and 10:00 on Mondays at the Parkway multi-storey in Bury St Edmunds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkprvd0d55o

Nellymoser

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26153227.bitterne-woman-refuses-pay-100-britannia-parking-charge/

It's disappointing to read in the Echo another story about pcns at West Quay Retail Park. Seems nothing has changed. There's either no feedback from Trading Standards (17th April meeting) or Councillor Jeremy Moulton can't share it with the public on his petition page.

The woman, a law graduate has vowed not to pay her £100 pcn until the council's Trading Standards investigation has concluded. She also argued that enforcement action should be paused while the investigation remains ongoing.

However, Britannia Parking has maintained that the charge remains payable. In a response to the woman the company said it had already considered her appeal through its internal process before the case was reviewed and rejected by the independent appeals service POPLA. So pay up, please.

Coupon-mad

Another piece about ParkingEye yet again ripping off patients, staff & visitors at a hospital:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/visitor-fined-calls-new-hospital-parking-system-stressful-and-confusing/ar-AA24sw8e

Visitor fined calls new hospital parking system 'stressful' and 'confusing'

"Parking Eye took over the contract to manage the parking at all Oxford University Hospitals car parks, including the John Radcliffe, late last year. 

Marianne Walker visited the hospital on Friday, January 16 to accompany her elderly mother.  She parked for one hour and 31 minutes, paying £2.70 via the Evology parking app, the same rate displayed on hospital signs for up to two hours.

She later received a Parking Charge Notice from ParkingEye, claiming she had not purchased enough parking time. “I paid exactly the amount the app told me to pay, and exactly what was on the tariff board,” Ms Walker said.

"I then appealed through POPLA and was again rejected, despite repeatedly asking for someone to clearly explain what I had supposedly done wrong. Nobody was able to give me a straightforward answer. Eventually, I was forced to pay £100, increased from the original £60 charge."

Lord knows what she did wrong. VRM error? Who knows, but POPLA was useless.

Nellymoser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82019556#Comment_82019556

Looks like The Echo's article yesterday has nudged the Council into giving an update.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26156618.west-quay-retail-park-britannia-parking-tariffs-change/

"Trading Standards team continues to work with the managing agents and Britannia Parking regarding the parking tariffs and signage at West Quay Retail Park.

"As a result, the tariff at West Quay Retail Park is in the process of being amended, new signage will be installed and the machines reprogrammed."

They didn't share what the tariff changes are. Many will be expecting it to address "The 8pm top-up rule is so ridiculous. To expect people to come out of a show or get up from a meal to add more parking after 8pm is just nonsense." Yes it's a nonsense but it's a nonsense that generates more revenue for the retail car park owner and Britannia Parking.

Interesting..…https://www.britannia-parking.co.uk/en-gb/case-studies/west-quay-retail-park/

Clearly Britannia's solution to 'Customer experience review' was - ignore them.

Car1980

Ah, the balancing act between having to post up a contract, but making sure nobody sees it and everybody breaches it.

So they've been told off by Trading Standards. The new signage will simply be ever so slightly better, but obviously making it crystal clear will see profit from the site plummet.

They do what they can get away with to make maximum cash. So what if they've gone too far and have to pay for some new signs. Trading Standards won't be dictating the words or design, so it's no skin off their nose.

patient_dream

THE ARTICLE ABOVE

Motorists who believe they have been unfairly fined are being advised to complain directly to Britannia Parking and, if unsuccessful, can escalate their case to the independent appeals service POPLA.

Good like with that ?

Nellymoser

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/26164664.bournemouth-airport-expensive-heathrow-charges-increased/

From June 1, motorists using the airport’s pick-up and drop-off zone will pay £8 for up to 30 minutes, up from £6 in December 2025 and £5 prior to that.

Stays of between 30 and 60 minutes have doubled from £7.50 to £15, while one to four hours now costs £20.

Jay Ahmed, of Canford Taxi, said drivers were caught off guard by the increase, which he claims was introduced overnight.

Parley Lane Parking, a nearby private parking operator, said it absorbs drop-off charges within its pricing but argued the increase highlighted wider concerns. "This is further evidence that the airport’s monopoly on parking needs to be broken and passengers should stop being treated as cash cows for a private company," a spokesperson said.

In their response the airport churned out the usual excuses for the increases ending with "We cannot keep absorbing these increased costs without passing some of the additional burden on to our customers."