PCN from APCOA in Railway Carpark

Peter_Parker_2015

Im not sure what the current guidelines are but having read numerous threads about how to appeal I'm not sure if there are grounds in this case and not sure if this classifies as " Unfair". Hopefully someone could advise?
In short, The driver thought they had completed the APCOA Train station parking charges via the Ringo app as usual but it obviously didn't go through and a PCN was issued
Now a £85 fine reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days has been issued, for a parking charge just over £5

Are there any grounds for appeal?

Is there a line of appeal along the lines of : 
 
-APCOA do not have the legal right to fine or issue penalties motorists 

- Must have been an error on the Ringo App

- Is there any option/right to just pay the original parking charge. Accepting that that APCOA have a right to charge for parking but not to fine

Thanks in advance

D_P_Dance

It is not a fine, please read the newbies guidance.  Please also search for and read other APCOA railway syaion threads.   Have you complained to your MP?

B789

Do NOT reveal the identity of the driver. APCOA are easy to beat and haven't pursued a PCN to claim stage for many years. Just confirm for us that you have received a "Parking" and not a "Penalty" Charge Notice.

Also, read, re-read and read again the Newbies thread near the top of this forum. Easy to beat this.

Coupon-mad

Except that this is a penalty notice.  POFA is not relevant.

It times out after 6 months and no-one pays these - except poor victims who think it's real.  You will not be paying.

Reply SLOWLY just like you will read on all the other dozens of APCOA railway threads.  NO APPEAL JUST YET.

Peter_Parker_2015

Thanks all, what a great site!

Yes the keeper received a" Parking" charge notice and no they haven't complained to their MP!

tbh "my friend" usually pays the parking charge and this was just a time the Ringo app didnt work or just didnt go through. "They" have no problem paying the £5 for the parking but £50 fine is a bit much!

The 14 days reduction runs out today and whilst i begrudge paying any "fine" they also don't want to spend hours appealing it

Already spent a couple of hours going though the threads but couldn't work out what to do in this instance and as per the MSE website advice of appealing against " Unfair" tickets. 

Is it "unfair"? and what's the next step? send the template letter or just wait?

Grizebeck

It will take no more then 20 mins for two appeals
And your talking about the mugs discount period. Dont be a mug

Coupon-mad

Are you sure it is a parking charge notice?

APCOA tend to issue Penalty Notices at railways. Please check.

what's the next step? send the template letter or just wait?

I already advised you not to do anything just yet, and what to search the forum for and what threads to read.

From that search you will learn what to do from your own forum research and to save us typing out why you are delaying every appeal stage slightly.

Also the NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST thread already tells everyone, for Goodness' sake don't look at the daft '14 day bribe'.

Please read that sticky thread again and DO NOT do an appeal just yet.  Which you will understand, after reading APCOA railway threads

Peter_Parker_2015

yes definitely says 'PARKING CHARGE NOTICE" at the top

Just to be clear and at risk of labouring the point, although the fine can be perceived as unfair, the driver basically parked in the car park without paying ( due to not completing the parking on the Ringo app properly). Is this still as contestable as anything else?

If so why does anyone pay at all in these privately run car parks?

KeithP

Peter_Parker_2015 said:

Just to be clear and at risk of labouring the point, although the fine can be perceived as unfair, the driver basically parked in the car park without paying ( due to not completing the parking on the Ringo app properly). Is this still as contestable as anything else?

If so why does anyone pay at all in these privately run car parks?

You said in your opening post...

The driver thought they had completed the APCOA Train station parking charges via the Ringo app as usual but it obviously didn't go through and a PCN was issued.

Are you suggesting that a failure of the parking company's chosen software or equipment is somehow the fault of the motorist?

Coupon-mad

Peter_Parker_2015 said:

yes definitely says 'PARKING CHARGE NOTICE" at the top

If so why does anyone pay at all in these privately run car parks?

Because the vast majority of UK drivers are honest, and will pay a landowner's fair parking fee rate.  No-one here condones ripping off landowners like that.

I am surprised but very glad it is a 'parking charge notice'. Very, very easy to beat, then!

Copy the wording on another APCOA thread.  Maybe search the forum for APCOA Heathrow because all those recent threads about the Heathrow drop-off scam site use the exact same winning appeal.

Non-POFA, innit...

B789

Peter_Parker_2015 said:

If so why does anyone pay at all in these privately run car parks?

Because we are not talking about the charges to park. We are talking about the scam where these PPCs try to rip off their victims with false accusations, excessive charges and anything else they can do to get their grubby little hands on someone else's hard-earned money.

Also, please stop referring to it as a "fine". By calling it a "fine" you are elevating the status of these bottom-dwelling scammers to anything other than the stuff that floats in sewage that they are. It is a speculative invoice for an alleged debt that they think they can use to scare their victims into funding their scam.

Just follow the advice already given and this will all be consigned to history. Don't pay it and don't deviate from the advice given.

If you've properly read the Newbies thread, you will know that APCOA doesn't know who the driver is. All they know is that your friend is the registered keeper. As long as nobody blabs to APCOA who the driver was, they cannot proceed any further. This is because the car park is on railway land which is covered by railway bylaws. It is what is known as non-relevant land. POFA 2012 does not apply to such land. The only way they can pursue the registered keeper is if it is a POFA-compliant PCN and on relevant land, which it isn't. They cannot transfer liability from the driver to the keeper.

So, you (your friend) basically tell them that you decline their invitation to reveal the identity of the driver, as is your right. You then proceed to tell them to go fornicate under consent of the king with themselves and to either cancel the PCN or issue a POPLA code which they will lose after paying their POPLA fee.

They will eventually respond with a letter telling you that you are very naughty person for not following their rules but they will cancel the PCN as a gesture of goodwill and not to do it ever again.