Parking stories in the News/media

kryten3000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82123550#Comment_82123550

Scott Dixon - the Complaints Resolver. https://thecomplaintsresolver.co.uk/
Good chap and deals with a lot of these. :)

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82121844#Comment_82121844

"Income from parking charges has been lower than expected, despite strong visitor numbers during the hot summer, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council figures show. The council said visitors appear to have had spent less time and money in the resorts, with parking income 7% lower than predicted."

Errrr…

What exactly did BCP Council think would happen when they decided to have another crack at achieving their aim to convince the DFT to let them permanently fine motorists at London levels?

Last year, in the first trial, they significantly overreached by slapping drivers who used car parks (which is what the council said they wanted drivers to do) with extortionate jumped-up £80 or £130 PCNs for overhanging a line and minor overstay after paid-for time mistakes.

This year, is anyone surprised that they've deterred motorists from even parking there?

I thought they didn't want people to come by car! Cash-strapped people have - of course - voted with their wheels, stayed for less time or just used public transport instead .. and yet BCP are still whinging!

The local businesses should be up in arms if this has also reduced their tourist income. How dare the council try a failed experiment again and cause detriment to consumers and businesses alike?!

I cannot wait to see their latest attempt at a 'silk purse' report of rhetoric for the DFT, about this sow's ear of a second trial.

Wonder if they have miraculously 'addressed' last year's unfortunate decrease in PCNs in the control town of Christchurch so that this time the PCN figures support their agenda?

The takeaway from this is that punitively high parking penalties have the opposite effect - over deterrence - literally driving people away from high streets and tourist spots.

Bazarius

Yep . The first thing that hit me in Bournemouth last week was the sea of bright yellow “Tow Away” signs - they’re absolutely everywhere, especially around the beach. It makes you wonder whether it’s really the PCN levels doing the deterrent work, or the far bigger threat of being towed.

That’s why this “trial” feels completely skewed. You can’t test London‑level penalties and simultaneously plaster an area with new Tow Away signs, then claim you’re measuring whether London levels PCNs “work”.

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87vd7q1910o

The council said it will discuss the findings of the trial with the Department for Transport (DfT) before revealing the figures in due course.

Cllr Richard Herret said, depending on that feedback, higher fines could be extended to roads around schools where "safety is almost more critical than around the beach".

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrx2wrze84o

Three parking tickets and a letter from a debt collection company were sent to a woman while she was "fighting for her life" in hospital.

Her dad had been paying for weekly parking permits for his daughter's car but had still received the PCNs. He tried to contact parking company APCOA but was told they would speak only to the registered owner of the vehicle.

He described the situation as "intolerable" and said he did not want his daughter to know about the tickets while she was seriously ill.

In a joint statement, the NHS Humber Health Partnership and APCOA said: "The last thing we ever want to do for patients and families in this position is cause any undue stress or worry, so we apologise for any distress caused.

"Unfortunately, the usual process of appealing a PCN was not followed in this case. However, having looked into the circumstances of this specific case, we can confirm the parking charges have been cancelled."

Dad said: "It's just inappropriate to ask a seriously ill person to sign documents to enable you to contest a parking ticket. It is ridiculous."

Sounds like NHS Humber Health Partnership and APCOA don't think it is.

Coupon-mad

That's a timely article above, given this Healthwatch survey:

https://www.healthwatchherefordshire.co.uk/blog/2026-08-05/what-are-people-telling-healthwatch-about-car-parking-hospitals

"Research by Transport Focus, the consumer champion for transport, found that half of people who have attend hospital in the last 12 months travelled by car. This means they need adequate hospital car parking facilities.

The Government publishes guidance for hospital Trusts on car parking facilities. This covers the groups of people entitled to free parking, and includes information about hospital parking charges, concessions, and information on parking terms and conditions.

The guidance on hospital parking includes guidance on managing payment, including:

• Charges being “reasonable for the area”
• Concessions for certain visitors
• Considering installing payment on exit schemes so that people only pay for time used
• Widely publicising details of charges and concessions, including on appointment letters, on car park signs, inside the hospital and at payment places

The guidance also reminds Trusts that they are responsible for private contractors who manage parking. 

People felt charges were unfair, particularly if they had to make frequent trips to hospital. In particular, we heard about problems with upfront payment. People had to guess how long they would need, resulting in either overpaying or not paying enough. 

Lack of parking availability leads to stress, frustration, and even a feeling that they should avoid going to hospital at all.

A woman whose problems during pregnancy meant she had to attend frequent hospital appointments said:

“Parking at hospital is extremely challenging, with long queues to enter, a one-way system that slows traffic, and very tight spaces. I often have to allow an extra 30 minutes just to park...the journey often requires family members to take time off work to drive me while I have been unwell.”

Story shared with Healthwatch England

These issues can lead to people being fined for breaching parking rules:

“I allowed plenty of time...but spent over 30 minutes driving round and round. Eventually parked on a hatched area which wasn’t a designated parking spot as I was going to be late for my appointment. On leaving and paying £7 to park for an hour I got a parking ticket (£25).”

Story shared with Healthwatch England

We also heard about pay and display machines or parking apps not working, insufficient machines, lack of clear signage or information about where to pay or not having the right payment method. These issues can lead to people being fined for breaching parking rules:

“I allowed plenty of time…but spent over 30 minutes driving round and round. Eventually parked on a hatched area which wasn’t a designated parking spot as I was going to be late for my appointment. On leaving and paying £7 to park for an hour I got a parking ticket (£25).”

Story shared with Healthwatch England

Healthwatch England Recommendations:

1. Trusts should treat parking and travel as part of access to care

NHS Trusts should review whether it’s feasible for patients and carers to get to appointments, either by car or public transport. There should be clear drop-off points and accessible routes from car parks to entrances. Parking and transport should be considered in estate planning and patient experience work, not just as a facilities issue.

2. Trusts should make hospital parking more accessible for disabled people and carers

Trusts should assess whether they have enough Blue Badge spaces, whether they are close enough to entrances and departments, and whether people can register for free parking easily. They should also make sure disabled people are not left without support because carers have to search for a parking space.

3. People should get clear information about parking before they travel

Appointment letters, Trust websites and digital messages should clearly explain parking locations, charges and payment methods, as well as what to do if appointments overrun. Clear information would help reduce confusion, missed appointments and distress.

4. Payment systems and enforcement should be fair, simple and accountable

Trusts should move towards pay-on-exit systems where possible so people don't have to guess how long they will need to park for. Payment machines and apps should be accessible and offer realistic options for people who cannot use smartphones or need to pay by cash or card. Where private companies manage parking, Trusts should remain accountable for clear signage, fair appeals and the reasonable treatment of patients and carers."

kryten3000

I am fortunate enough to be close to my local hospital so whoever has an appointment is driven there to be dropped off and collected. Or I might go on my bicycle instead. No way am I paying for parking there.

Umkomaas

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124664#Comment_82124664

This was subject to a discussion on the BBC R2 Jeremy Vine show (although being hosted by a female presenter) on Wednesday. Had a NHS representative discussing contractual requirements for parking at hospitals - fairly reasonable input, if with some inaccuracies. Then on came ‘The Complaining Cow’ giving it some. I ended up shouting ‘Noooo’ (Not Mooo! 😄) at the radio far more than I nodded in agreement!

People take the ‘advice’ from these programmes as gospel. The do-gooders really aren’t doing many favours to the unsuspecting, naive public. The PPCs must be lapping it up!

GrannyKate

NHS Humber are somewhat disingenuous in their comments and fail to address their own responsibilities in regard to the situation. No mention anywhere that the family could have spoken to PALS who should have dealt with it. They continue to 'blame' the patient for failing to follow the appeals process properly - how does that make sense when the invoices were issued in error as parking had been paid for and the patient was too sick to deal with the situation. Neither the Trust nor APCOA are taking any responsibility for this mess. Where is the enquiry into how these invoices were issued and what went wrong? I have to say that in another life in similar circumstances I have arranged for a vehicle to be exempted when a patient arrived by car and was unable to leave due to the severity of their condition.

Car1980

Small problem with that - there ain't no genuine appeals process on offer.