Parking stories in the News/media

Coupon-mad

Expensive mistake.

Rather like the one at Liverpool Marina that I posted about the other day, where the owner actually offered Smart Parking £50,000 to drop the cases against whitelisted cars which had (reportedly) suddenly become no longer whitelisted when Smart were given notice to leave.

Wonder how that could possibly have happened…? Hmmm… I wonder!

And Smart hinted at the end of that Echo article that they might be suing the landowner (smacked of the ParkingEye v Somerfield debacle, in my view).

Coupon-mad

UKPA seem to be using the same dodgy machines as Excel and Euro Car Parks. Driving people away from high streets again:

https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/26455060.festival-place-customers-issued-100-parking-fines/

Absolute bullicks!

For goodness sake open your eyes, landowners.

Does this naive management team at a town centre shopping and leisure complex REALLY think that patrons have suddenly started to make lots of keying errors with their number-plates? Coincidentally just months after UKPA installed their set-up…

Nobody thought it might be the machines either set up to fail or perhaps, UKPA are negligently using second hand machines with faded or sticky keys ?!

Coupon-mad

Viking Solutions are reportedly stalking disabled people at a KFC car park and refusing to make a 'reasonable adjustment' to accommodate a passenger who needed slightly more space at the side, to alight:

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/26421102.couple-hit-parking-ticket-outside-hartlepool-kfc/

Jacqueline and Grahame Egglestone received a £60 parking ticket in the post, stating that they were parked over the white line of a parking bay at the Marina Way car park outside KFC in Hartlepool.

Jacqueline said her husband parked to one side of the bay as she has a false ankle and needs extra room to get out of the car. She said:

"I need the door to open as much as possible so I can get out of the car without hurting myself."

The pair say they didn’t receive the ticket until July 27 and, because they had limited time to pay before the price increased to £100, they say they felt pressured to pay the 'fine'. Mrs Egglestone said: "You’re meant to be given 14 days to pay, but we only had two because it arrived so late."

…could that be because parking firms use mail consolidators who use second class post, three working days after getting the file…?

Coupon-mad

Euro Car Parks this time, as per usual ruining confidence in a high street near you:

https://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/26456462.worcester-couple-hit-fine-weavers-wharf-car-park/

Nick Hardman from Worcester said his wife had paid by card to park at Weavers Wharf in Kidderminster on July 2, receiving a text confirmation from Euro Car Parks which manages the site.

Despite this, the couple returned from holiday to find a penalty notice waiting for them. "She had a text to say the payment had gone through, so we had no reason to believe we hadn't paid for parking. It's not like she sent a confirmation text to herself."

Mr Hardman believes there is a problem with the payment machines and described the number of people being hit by unfair parking fines at Weavers Wharf as "unacceptable".

He is calling on Euro Car Parks to act and for a better appeals process.

"It's just really unfair. We sent Euro Car Parks evidence of the confirmation we'd received, but they don't seem interested. I wasn't expecting not to have to pay anything. We'd have happily paid the £2.50 we thought we'd paid, but it isn't right that my wife has been fined £60.

I've read about so many other people who have had similar experiences. Euro Car Parks don't seem to be doing anything about it. What is the point in having an appeals process if it always gets rejected?"

Yes indeed, eh, CMA?

But as usual, elderly duped victims actually think it's a fine with bailiffs coming round so the clueless couple paid the scam!m.

😡

Mr Hardman said the letter about the fine had caused a lot of stress, so in the end, the couple decided to pay it.

He added: "If they'd admitted there was a fault with the machine and let us pay the £2.50 then we would have accepted that, but instead we've had to pay £60.

"It was very stressful, and my wife was worried sick. I can't tell you how many sleepless nights she'd had, so we just decided to pay it. Nobody likes the thought of bailiffs coming to their house. Something needs to be done "

Yes. How about if people like you engaged your brain, did a bit of research and DIDN'T pay scams then maybe it wouldn't be so damn lucrative for scammers!

Coupon-mad

NCP this time, ruining confidence in another high street (again):

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/26449565.bolton-business-owner-shocked-500-parking-fine-ashburner-street/

The BPA must be so proud. Even in administration NCP are frightening and intimidating people into paying unfair PCNs.

Nellymoser

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-16041227/Rip-parking-charges-30-day-driving-tourists-away-Britains-seaside-towns.html

Parking at some seaside spots now costs between £20 and £30 for 6hrs, with councils effectively clawing back savings the Govt has given families in the form of its Great British Summer Savings scheme.

According to new analysis of 10,594 AA members a third of drivers encountering parking charges of £20 to £30 at the seaside would either leave the resort immediately or vow never to come back.

Jack Cousens, the AA's head of roads policy, says: 'Summer visitors and the money they bring to coastal resorts are often the lifeblood of tourism and commercial vibrancy in these places. 

'However, some councils use parking charges to leech excessive payments from day-trippers and holidaymakers in the hope of filling the black holes in their finances. 

'AA research shows they simply drive visitors away.

Councils are also trialling higher peak-season summer parking fine amounts– for example, Bournemouth has fines of £110 to £160 in August, more than double the £50 to £70 normally charged.

The AA says while drastic measures are needed to force better parking compliance close to resort beaches, research suggests steep parking charges are likely to have contributed to the problem.

kryten3000

Related to the previous post:

Tom Hayes, MP for Bournemouth (or rather his office) has posted this on LinkedIn, boasting about how he has helped implement "London level fines" in Bournemouth.

"London-level fines for illegal, dangerous, and reckless parking come into force today.

I’ve secured these fines to stop visitors breaking the rules to have an easier life. Visitors are always welcome, but they should obey our rules and keep roads safe for everyone.

When ambulances can’t get to accidents and residents can’t get out of their driveways, clearly we have a problem, and these London-level fines will help to fix it."

https://lnkd.in/p/ebwWRNpD

Of course WillH has commented welcoming the news. The usual rubbish about increasing charges being a good thing (for the IPC).

"Those who follow the rules are not affected by an increase. If the level of a penalty charge in local authority parking or a parking charge in private parking is no longer effective in encouraging compliance and deterring non-compliance, it is reasonable to look at what is needed to create greater compliance. Good to see such positive work by an MP for his constituents."

patient_dream

Of course WillH has commented welcoming the news. The usual rubbish about increasing charges being a good thing (for the IPC)

Sounds like the rubbish Will spouts

Coupon-mad

I see they didn't mention that last Summer's experiment not only failed (lots more PCNs were issued in council car parks than normal, AND in the 'control' town of Christchurch, fewer PCNs were issued, which must have pee'd them all off) but they also hugely overreached, by applying those punitive levels even for very minor infringements.

A cynic might observe:

Wonder if the council will magically achieve PCN issuance stats that better support their agenda this time?

Coupon-mad

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/people/northampton-hospital-reminds-drivers-of-45-minute-grace-period-and-pay-on-exit-rules-after-ticket-issues-8888277

Northampton General Hospital has reminded drivers they have a 45-minute grace period when arriving at its car parks – after a woman was left facing an £80 charge following problems trying to pay.

Cherise Hill tried using the app but it wouldn’t allow it and it kept shutting down,” she said. “Then I finally got on it and it didn’t give Northampton General Hospital as a choice.”

Cherise later received a parking charge notice in the post.

She appealed and sent photographs but said her appeal was rejected.

She said: “I saw other people have had the same experience with them trying to appeal; Group Nexus are telling them no, tough basically, which is disgusting as it’s clearly their machine. Obviously a way of making money.”

After the newspaper contacted the hospital, the case was investigated again and the charge was cancelled.

Quelle surprise. Such a burden on landowners to have to step in to cancel PCNs because the parking industry is so damn greedy and incentivised not to cancel.

They only make money if they 'fine' people. Protection racket-style MO.

The BPA must be so proud!