Parking Charge

C1012

Hello asking for some advice, we got a parking charge from parking eye. After a hospital visit. We had attempted to pay the machine displayed a message with “No payment required” with a green tick we tried again to make sure license plate was tight same answer so we took a picture of the screen.

I appealed the charge sent in this picture even the meta data showing time it was taken. They rejected it on the ground parking wasn’t paid and there were plenty of options to pay.

My argument is why would i pay when the machine has said I didn’t have to it has clocked me on the cameras coming and leaving so had my times to calculate the charge. But told me there was no charge.

do i have a case if i go further to POPLA?

KeithP

Hello and welcome.

Before you go to PoPLA, exhaust your complaint with the hospital. 
Which hospital?

Their Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) need to address this.

Have a look at these few words from NHS car parking guidance 2022 for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts...

C1012

Hello thank you for the reply, it is sunderland general hospital. 

Coupon-mad

Who have historically been great at cancelling PCNs.  I've emailed PALS and the Trust's CEO myself in the past, for a person I was helping and the Trust cancelled the PCNs.

I just Googled who the CEO of the Trust was.

The evidence photo you have is great!  Would probably win at POPLA but better to raise it with the Hospital themselves now, because you can't do it the other way round (NEVER TRY POPLA FIRST AS THAT GIVES THE PPC AN EXCUSE TO REFUSE TO CANCEL 'BECAUSE...waaaah...POPLA HAS COST US £30').

fisherjim

Just a stupid question, you did pay just before exiting I assume, as the machine would not show a charge if you tried to pay within the first 20minutes:

https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/visiting-times-and-information/car-parking

C1012

Yes we went to pay before exiting it had been longer than 20 minutes 

Coupon-mad

Let us know when the Trust cancel it.

fisherjim

C1012 said:

Yes we went to pay before exiting it had been longer than 20 minutes 

Sounds like a machine or ANPR (which is not fit for purpose and banned in council car parks) malfunction IMHO.

With your evidence I don't see how this trumped up charge can be held up, PALS should cancel this or POLA if it gets that far. The PPC is only after money they won't even have read your appeal and just slotted in the nearest rejection template.

C1012

I would like to thank you all for pointing me to PALS I didnt even know it was an option saved me headache or POPLA appeals. They emailed back same day and cancelled the PCN. 

Boat_to_Bolivia

C1012 said:

I would like to thank you all for pointing me to PALS I didnt even know it was an option saved me headache or POPLA appeals. They emailed back same day and cancelled the PCN. 

Good news

Fruitcake

Keep that email safe and go onto the PE website in a couple of days as if you were going to pay, but obviously don't. If it has been cancelled it should show £0 payment outstanding or words to that effect.