Parking stories in the News/media

Half_way

And another, this one involved a medical emergency, ace pulling into a car park in Ashford Kent,on a Sunday evening for 27 minutes and group nexus https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/couples-100-fine-for-27-minute-stop-after-falling-unwell-287072/#commentsBox

Retail park owner  needs to refund the driver over this shambles

Coupon-mad

Shocking one from the Brighton Argus:

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23529596.eastbourne-cancer-patient-john-lawson-given-400-parking-fine/

Smart Parking and DRAs hounding a terminally ill man for £400 for daring to come and go to a hotel  where he'd paid £34 to park.

Coupon-mad

Have we seen this one before?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-hit-100-fine-taking-30019985.amp

So many cases of Excel Parking Services having non-working machines it's hard to keep up if this article has already been posted.

"A mum has been left furious after being fined for not buying a parking ticket in time, despite the machine not working properly.

Kerrie Hart had tried to pay for a stay in the Excel car park in Derby on February 28 but claims the machine was out of service and the company's app was not working."

Loads of parents were apparently caught out by this latest 'outrageous scam' (MP's phrase from 2018).

The kids play area is not responsible for Excel but are tearing their hair out and putting in loads of complaints (presumably with the landlord), as Excel's little game is clearly ruining their business.

Apparently, Excel reckon their Helpline is 24/7.  Anyone wanna test it?

Coupon-mad

A hapless victim actually paid £140 to a debt collector, rather than thinking to Google it and realising you just don't have to pay PCNs from Euro Car Parks at Sainsbury's and certainly not after it's been laughably farmed out to a thug DRA:
https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/23522837.sainsburys-basingstoke-resident-forced-pay-140-parking-fine/

I wish more people would come here first.

"Karen Waters, 53, took her 80-year-old mother to Kempshott Sainsbury's and B&M for some retail therapy and to do some Christmas shopping. Karen and her mother shopped in both stores before Karen's mother began to feel unwell.

They sat and had a cup of tea, before heading back to the car and home. A week later, Karen received a parking fine from Euro Car Parks, stating she had spent too long in the car park,"

For goodness sake complain to Sainsburys and get it refunded in full, Karen Waters.

The PCN (for overstay) was illegal as the passenger was disabled/frail and ill, and needed more time.

Breach of  the Equality Act 2010.

Coupon-mad

And take a bow UKPC and North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust for reportedly not giving two hoots about whether PCNs are actually justified against stressed patients & visitors to hospitals:
https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/23529131.woman-complains-getting-parking-fine-cumberland-infirmary/

"A spokesperson from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said: “Car parks at our Cumberland infirmary site are managed by a private company, UKPC.

“They do stipulate that you need to be parked within the marked bays in our car parks.

“This is for safety reasons and to reduce the likelihood of damage to neighbouring cars when getting in and out of vehicles.

“We will pass the feedback onto UKPC.”

UKPC was approached for a comment."

"Safety reasons", what utter tosh

What next?  Fines for not sitting up straight in your chair in the waiting area?  It's similar and has no basis or justification whatsoever for such a high 'penalty'.

A warning notice would do the job at hospitals.

Coupon-mad

Woman charged £100 for the heinous crime of visiting B&Q twice:
https://www.bristolworld.com/recommended/i-went-to-bristol-bq-for-a-ps2-paintbrush-and-got-a-ps60-parking-fine-4144241

Gallagher Retail Park at Longwell Green, Bristol, you are named and shamed. Along with ParkingEye (who else?) who have introduced this new (and reportedly unnecessary) 'no return' clause that has caught out genuine customers.

An independent observer might conclude that this little regime does nothing positive for the retailers and just makes lots of money for ParkingEye... why are so many retail park owners so damn stupid?

The article says it's widespread:

"The car park is managed(sic) by ParkingEye, which also manages the car park at Imperial Retail Park in Hartcliffe.

Last month, Bristol World reported on a similar situation with shoppers in Hartcliffe expressing concern over ‘ridiculous’ £100 fines for returning to the car park within two hours of leaving.

Bristol World has contacted ParkingEye for comment."

Coupon-mad

NHS Health Centre (Accrington Pals) are named and shamed for being stupid enough to think bringing in ES Parking was a good move:

New Accrington Pals Health Centre parking fines slammed as ‘cash cow’

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23529287.new-accrington-pals-health-centre-parking-fines-slammed-cash-cow/

Now their patients and staff are getting hit with unfair charges at £100 a pop with no fair/independent appeal on offer.

Imagine my surprise.

Coupon-mad

Yet another £100 extortionate charge for a shopper taking too long when shopping with his young family:
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23534835.driver-hit-100-car-parking-fine-belmont-shopping-centre/

Take a bow Ocean Parking. Why are you even there at BELMONT SHOPPING CENTRE, COUNTY DURHAM?  

If cars can be there for as long as 3.5 hours and there are several shops that will take time to visit, and places to eat lunch, why have any restriction?

Could it be because a parking firm rocked up and spun the usual spiel to the credulous retail park management, that they needed parking 'management', and that they could have all the "rich data advantages" of ANPR and reports about footfall, totally "free"?

I fully expect that was it, as usual.  Utterly unnecessary retail park restrictions yet again.  Plenty of retail parks don't.

Coupon-mad

Compelled to add this Council one as it is so shocking:
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/ex-royal-marine-double-amputee-30033476.amp

What is wrong with people who make assumptions about who is disabled and who isn't?

nigelbb

Coupon-mad said:

And take a bow UKPC and North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust for reportedly not giving two hoots about whether PCNs are actually justified against stressed patients & visitors to hospitals:
https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/23529131.woman-complains-getting-parking-fine-cumberland-infirmary/

"A spokesperson from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said: “Car parks at our Cumberland infirmary site are managed by a private company, UKPC.

“They do stipulate that you need to be parked within the marked bays in our car parks.

“This is for safety reasons and to reduce the likelihood of damage to neighbouring cars when getting in and out of vehicles.

“We will pass the feedback onto UKPC.”

UKPC was approached for a comment."

"Safety reasons", what utter tosh

What next?  Fines for not sitting up straight in your chair in the waiting area?  It's similar and has no basis or justification whatsoever for such a high 'penalty'.

A warning notice would do the job at hospitals.

Of course there are no "safety reasons". Even if the car is straddling the white lines all that has been lost is a second parking fee.