Parking stories in the News/media

Car1980

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82143405#Comment_82143405

Martin doesn't touch private parking with a bargepole. Why, I don't know.

Car1980

https://insights.doughtystreet.co.uk/post/102ike8/private-parking-charges-why-pay

A couple of years old, but this advice from a KC is quite interesting. Especially his derision of POPLA and his tactics of bombardment rather than ignore.

MrJenkinsEsq

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26567186.southampton-ncp-car-park-will-not-reopen-public-parking/

Nellymoser

Will Parkingeye be next on the list for a CMA investigation?

It was just last month the media reported on PE management at the car park located behind the former Poole Quay Hotel and here they are again back in the news with the same problems highlighted.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/drivers-feel-conned-payment-problems-230000764.html

More visitors claim they were unable to pay using the app or the on-site machines and chose to leave, only to later receive a £100 charge for overstaying the five-minute grace period.

"It just feels really unfair, fair enough if we were trying to dodge a fee - but that is not the case."

After hearing other people's experiences one man believes there may be some unethical operations under the surface.

Another said: it's a 'money grabbing' system "It's set up to take money from people. It's a terrible way to make money."

ParkingEye maintains that the fines are legitimate and not part of a scam.

"Tariffs apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and motorists are advised to pay using the Evology payment app.

"Drivers who do not pay the appropriate parking tariff will be issued with a parking charge if they remain in the car park beyond the consideration period."

Parkingeye completely misses the point 🤦People DID use PE's advised payment methods…they DID NOT work AND having to make multiple payment attempts by different methods could not be achieved in the time PE allows.

I think it's time PE acknowledged this, employed more reliable payment methods and a suitable consideration period so drivers can pay the parking tariff with ease instead of having to drive out 🥵 in search of another car park.

Nellymoser

Thanks to @scamdodger who mentioned this media article on their thread today

https://www.lep.co.uk/business/aldi-issues-ps70-fines-to-those-using-parcel-lockers-outside-of-stores-opening-hours-9159214

InPost say the locker service at Garstang Aldi is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing people to collect, send, or return parcels at any time.

But customers report being charged £70 for using the lockers when the store is closed, due to Parkingeye ANPR cameras in force on the car park.

“I couldn’t believe it when the fine turned up,” said one customer. “I rang Aldi customer services and they cancelled it. But it was a shock when it arrived in the post.

I won’t be using it again until they do something about it. It’s too much worry and hassle.”

Aldi and InPost were approached for comment.

MrJenkinsEsq

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/politics/council/horsforth-parking-charges-blamed-for-lost-footfall-9171331

Leeds businesses ‘suffering’ as town centre parking charges blamed for lost footfall

daveyjp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82147702#Comment_82147702

Not sure their logic stands up to much scrutiny. I've lived in Leeds 30+ years, visited Horsforth hundreds of times, never used that car park or paid for parking. The car park isn't near the shops and there is free parking in the main shopping street (it only has one street of shops).

knightstyle

BBC Watchdog 23rd Sept BBC 1 at 1905.

More here…https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1Zst9FcNJsQ6TsPMPZF3q2k/private-parking-september-2026

Car1980

How many liars can you squeeze into one programme? 🤡

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2zn2lk57ro

Val, 70, received two pcns despite being on the site's whitelist of approved vehicles and visiting Harborne care home more than 100 times.

Two weeks before the dispute was due to be heard in court, Smart Parking Ltd dropped its claim.

Smart Parking did not explain, when asked by the BBC, why they dropped the claim, for 3yrs they maintained Price's vehicle was not authorised on either occasion and that the charges had been issued correctly 🤷‍♂️

The family have since raised the issue with their local MP and want changes to the system governing private parking enforcement. Price received about 30 letters demanding payment said "They shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. It's just bullying tactics."