Sennen Cove top car park fine - half number plate on ticket, dodgy ticket machines?

lelong_mckean

Hey went to Cornwall over half term. Went to the sennen cove top car park 3 times in that week. A week later got 2 letters with a penalty saying my car was parked illegally. As you might expect I had disposed of my tickets after a week had passed so appealed both using screenshots from my credit card statement I used to pay. One appeal was accepted but the other they came back with you only entered half your number plate which obviously I can't prove. So now lumbered with £60 fine. Direct quote below from the reply to appeal. Seem like it may be their issue if ticket machine not working and other people having it. Not sure what to do.

Interested to know which ticket machines you used. As I said I went there 3 times and got fined twice. The days I got fined for, I used the ticket machines to the right of the entrance. The day I didn't get fined I used the ones on the left of the entrance which has the covering around it with a big sign saying pay here. 

I wonder if there have been more people with this issue? What should I do, pay £60 now or appeal to IAS and possibly pay £100?

"The appeal has been reviewed. The error is yours. In incorrectly entering the VRM as XXX instead of XXXX

XXX when making payment, no valid ticket was covering the vehicle remaining in the car park on private land.

Signage at the site informs 'You must display a valid pay & display ticket within the windscreen or be in

possession of a cashless payment session for the entire parking period.' 'You must enter your full and correct

vehicle registration number when you make payment.' "

Fruitcake

It is not a fine, nor a penalty, nor was the car parked illegally.

What is the name of the parking company please?

What happened when you complained to the landowner? That is always Plan A.

If you try an IAS appeal, you stand a 4 - 5% chance of winning, so it is up to you whether you try this or not. Otherwise you will have to ignore everything unless you get a court claim in the next 6 years.

The IPC have been banging on for some time about it being a moral obligation for their members to use typo proof machines. You could try a complaint to the PPC and the IPC. Don't hold your breath.
The technology exists to ensure a VRM cannot be accepted by a parking machine unless a vehicle with that VRM is present in the car park.
Despite the IPC's mantra, PPC's have steadfastly refused to implement typo proof machines because it will cost them money.

You should also complain to your MP.

In future, take photos of the PDT screen if possible when making payment, and keep PDT tickets for at least six months. I keep mine for six years.

lelong_mckean

Thanks. It's Armtrac Security Services

Only appealed the fine. Not contacted landowner as wouldn't know how to find that out

Fruitcake

It is not a fine.

The advice below on how to find landowners is posted regularly and frequently by @Umkomaas

1. Google searches

2. If a retail park, check on any signage which lists the on-site outlets

3. Ask retailers on the site if there is a managing agent

4. Ask retailers on the site to whom do they pay rent

5. Contact the local authority and ask who pays the non-domestic/business rate for the car park

6. Contact the local Valuation Office and ask if they know. They often have a website which might provide the information 

7. Contact The Land Registry and for £3 they will provide definitive detail

Half_way

The error is theirs, if the payment machine and ANPR  was working correctly, then it should have rejected any incorrect/ incomplete data entry.
But that sort of set up doesn't make as much money

Blockflutejane

Let's work together on this I got a ticket for the same reason that week. I have messaged you.

Umkomaas

Blockflutejane said:

Let's work together on this I got a ticket for the same reason that week. I have messaged you.

Great to see this suggested pairing. 👍

Snakes_Belly

It sounds like the meter is scrambling the VRN. This is happening frequently in a local car park near to where I live. Different PPC but same problem and numerous PCN's issued. 




 

Snakes_Belly

In my above post the contravention mentioned is

PARKED WITHOUT PAYMENT OF THE PARKING TARIFF FOR THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION MARK OF THE VEHICLE ON THE SITE.

This contravention is occuring frequently on two car parks by the same operator in the town.

They are appealing to IAS purely to obtain the VRN list for that day.

You may also be able to tell from the VRN list if any other motorists have been affected. If they refuse and the PPC does proceed to court state that they have withheld information vital to your hearing.

Some of these meters are solar powered and work on a 3g or 4g network so depending on signal or battery strength depends how good or bad they work. 

https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/18003880.judge-rules-faulty-machines/

faborson1964

@Blockflutejane

faborson1964

lelong_mckean said:

Hey went to Cornwall over half term. Went to the sennen cove top car park 3 times in that week. A week later got 2 letters with a penalty saying my car was parked illegally. As you might expect I had disposed of my tickets after a week had passed so appealed both using screenshots from my credit card statement I used to pay. One appeal was accepted but the other they came back with you only entered half your number plate which obviously I can't prove. So now lumbered with £60 fine. Direct quote below from the reply to appeal. Seem like it may be their issue if ticket machine not working and other people having it. Not sure what to do.

Interested to know which ticket machines you used. As I said I went there 3 times and got fined twice. The days I got fined for, I used the ticket machines to the right of the entrance. The day I didn't get fined I used the ones on the left of the entrance which has the covering around it with a big sign saying pay here. 

I wonder if there have been more people with this issue? What should I do, pay £60 now or appeal to IAS and possibly pay £100?

"The appeal has been reviewed. The error is yours. In incorrectly entering the VRM as XXX instead of XXXX

XXX when making payment, no valid ticket was covering the vehicle remaining in the car park on private land.

Signage at the site informs 'You must display a valid pay & display ticket within the windscreen or be in

possession of a cashless payment session for the entire parking period.' 'You must enter your full and correct

vehicle registration number when you make payment.' "

it happened exactly the same to me. someone else mentioned the same issue at the same period on tripadvisor