Parking stories in the News/media

Car1980

CMA are:

• opening an investigation into Euro Car Parks to examine whether its practices at petrol stations and its handling of appeals may breach consumer protection law. The investigation will consider whether it’s fair for some drivers to receive parking charges while queuing for, or using, petrol pumps and other forecourt services, such as car washes. It will also examine aspects of the company’s wider appeals processes – relating to both petrol stations and car parks. The CMA is at the beginning of its investigation, and it has reached no conclusions about whether Euro Car Parks has broken the law 

Umkomaas

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82071393#Comment_82071393

Is it the CoP can being kicked further down the street that I hear?

Half_way

will they deal with the issues around ANPR double dips, disability discrimination such as not being able to detect people with disabilities and/or imposing extra burdens upon those with disabilities such as having to register ?

as well as pay by app only sites?

daveyjp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82071460#Comment_82071460

It may go the other way and get MHCLG to start looking at the issue in a timely fashion, especially if CMA conclude there is potentially illegal activity taking place.

cooldude255220

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82071299#Comment_82071299

It's a little bit frustrating that the CoP they link to is Version 1!

cooldude255220

This is good news:

We recommend that government: …

requires (i) the Early Payment Discount rate to be extended to consumers who, having initially appealed their PCN to the operator within the EPD period, subsequently appeal their PCN to the ADR body, and

(ii) consumers remain eligible to pay the EPD rate until a reasonable period after the outcome of the ADR appeal is known.

But it seems like they've missed a trick by not looking at how the IAS/POPLA are managing appeals and instead have just focused on internal appeals.

Umkomaas

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82071515#Comment_82071515

Maybe that’s to come if/when they have a more in-depth look into the ADR processes, and its structures.

GrannyKate

Not sure if this report re Airport dropoffs from House of Lords has been picked up

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-airport-drop-charges-could-34285825

Coupon-mad

"It may go the other way and get MHCLG to start looking at the issue in a timely fashion, especially if CMA conclude there is potentially illegal activity taking place."

Without going into the work of the Steering Group, I can say that I told the MHCLG exactly that about illegality (only this year) and I asked how the CABs would report instances of CRA, EA, CPUTRs, DPA and DUA Act law-breaking (to name just a few Acts) to the relevant authorities, as surely they must be required to do under a proper regulatory system.

The MHCLG certainly listened and went away to think about it.

They'll listen even more now the CMA has wielded its opinion that consumer protection laws do look to have been broken, and - as we know - the aspects raised as examples by the CMA are merely scratching the surface.

This CMA interest is EXACTLY what we called for!

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82071566#Comment_82071566

This is yet more amazing news!

"Airport controversial drop-off fees could be reviewed by the government as part of a potential national probe.

The charges have long been subject to debate, with Andy Burnham even weighing in on them when he was the mayor. However, drivers' charges could be reviewed after the House of Lords forced the government to re-examine the practice.

Liberal Democrat and Conservative Lords refused to back the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, sending it back to House of Commons and forcing the government to conduct a review of the charges.

Shadow transport minister Lord Moylan accused airports of raising passenger drop-off fees with 'great enthusiasm', insisting a review was needed to examine the impact on users. Lord Moylan told the House of Lords on Monday that drop-off fees are particularly damaging for families, as well as older and disabled passengers, who 'do not have a realistic alternative to being dropped off at the terminal'.

“The Government has gone some way to improve protections for disabled passengers in aviation,” he said. “But it’s no good strengthening rights inside the airport while supporting surface access policies that make it harder and more expensive for disabled passengers or those assisting them to get to the terminal in the first place.”