Parking stories in the News/media

Jenni_D

50% bribe for paying within 14 days.  

Coupon-mad

One of the BPA's 'finest' (but MPs don't share that view) Smart Parking and the Spiceball Leisure Centre Banbury are named and shamed for a reportedly faulty keypad and ANPR racket: 
https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/people/banbury-sports-centre-user-claims-smart-parking-system-is-a-racket-and-is-fighting-hundreds-of-pounds-in-fines-4098502

One clueless victim reckons she's gone and PAID two out of three £100/£60 PCNs already instead of Googling it. Smart Parking PCNs are such easy ones to kill off and pay nothing - but no,  this victim (and the newspaper journo) are intent on spreading their misinformation and baseless presumption that they think these "would affect her husband's credit rating".

"Chris Dyckes has tried unsuccessfully to get refunds for the penalties accrued at Spiceball Leisure Centre. She cannot appeal to an independent body because she has no way of proving the car recognition software is faulty."

So sad and unnecessary.

People are such victims of these scams.  This is a leisure centre for God's sake!  A place for a swim, relaxation and fitness at low prices.  Smart Parking and their allegedly useless system shouldn't be anywhere near it.

I blame the people who run Spiceball Leisure Centre Banbury, who also forgot how to Google and read TrustPilot reviews before thinking of engaging Smart Parking's 'system' and believing this anti-consumer ANPR/keypad trash is a good idea for any business.

Cases we have seen tell us that this supposedly 'free' protection racket system has all but bankrupted business owners before now.


  

alanjuk

Another McDonald's one https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/outraged-mcdonalds-diner-lands-100-8277339

B789

alanjuk said:

Another McDonald's one https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/outraged-mcdonalds-diner-lands-100-8277339

Oh dear... "The motorists correctly received parking charge notices (PCNs) due to each of them parking for 107 minutes. Our records show that both PCNs have been paid without appeal."

patient_dream

SAME STORY in the Daily Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11963815/Dad-boycott-McDonalds-fined-100-exceeding-parking-limit-childs-party.html

PARKINGEYE this time ? ......... McDonalds now in the news most weeks all thanks to bad boys  who no doubt earn pound for pound, a lot more than McD's

MCFOOLS

Coupon-mad

Here's yet another rip-off story from Scotland.

A clueless shopping centre thinks it is better to defend their 'reputable' PPC (ParkingEye) than step in with a customer service ethic and cancel PCNs issued by post to mourners who attended a funeral and who said the machines were broken and the signage appallingly inadequate:
https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/people/callendar-square-shopping-centre-bosses-respond-to-car-park-criticism-4101161

"Sinead Sutherland: “The machines are not working – I got a ticket to pay £100 which will not be getting paid as the machine were broken and there was nowhere to get my tickets from.”

The condition of the car park itself was also mentioned. Hugh Fallon: “Surprising, as it all looks abandoned and derelict. Like the bus station. And Callendar Square is no better...

...another motorist came forward and stated she had received a fine after she actually tried to pay her parking fee.  She said:

“When I returned and keyed my registration number into the payment machine a message appeared on the screen stating ‘you have nothing to pay’.

I was surprised to receive a parking charge notice a few days later.  There was no possible way I could have made payment when the machine told me that no payment was due".

--------------------------

In sharp contrast, bosses of the shopping centre were quick to defend ParkingEye. 

In a post on The Falkirk Herald’s Facebook site the Callendar Square Shopping & Leisure Centre responded by saying the car park was managed by a “reputable company” and there were moves to improve the signage.  The post stated: “The site is managed by Parking Eye, a reputable national company. They are in the process of upgrading signage, but I expect that it is all compliant if it is installed by a reputable operator."

So they are guessing.

I know who I believe.

Callendar Square Shopping & Leisure Centre You are NAMED AND SHAMED for not putting motorists at the heart of your thinking and i stead making excuses for ParkingEye.

Coupon-mad

Here's Horizon Parking Ltd named & shamed for non-prominent signs at a site that used to be unrestricted:
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/mum-slapped-85-private-parking-26683141.amp

Sadly, the victim has paid the rip off.

Horizon appear in no hurry to respond to the paper.

Umkomaas

Horizon appear in no hurry to respond to the paper.

Most of them never are, where comments are made, it's a trot out of the usual rubbish about signage being approved and them following the Code of Practice. BS!

patient_dream

I trust the BPA and that other fake lot can prove they have audited these sites and when.

Coupon-mad

Euro Car Parks named and shamed for ruining the peace of mind of locals and evening traders and restaurants, etc, by reportedly continuing to say they will charge people £85 for parking more than 10 minutes after 6pm:
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/23458176.braintree-sainsburys-parking-saga-continues-fine-warnings/

This is despite it not being Sainsburys wish, and Sainsburys had assured Councillors who raised concerns earlier this year, that free parking after 6pm would be restored, which helps support the high street and businesses.

Did no-one  tell ECP?  Or didn't ECP like losing lucrative rip-off charges and pushed back?

As ever, the tail looks to be wagging the dog and the local high streets suffer.

It is quite possible this retail car park might have only got planning permission years ago if they did allow locals to use it.  We've seen that eroded loads of times by ANPR money-grabbers.

PPCs seem to think planning rules are there to be broken, yet are intent on charging people up to £100 a pop when the PPC's own made-up rules are 'broken'.