APCOA parking charge

kustirider2

Hi,

So recently parked in Liverpool line Street APCOA car park, in a disabled space. Stupidly forgot to display my badge, although it was in the car. Showed the attendant afterwards, but he wasn't interested.

Obviously appealed this, sent them a copy of my badge so they know who I am (now realise that was stupid). Appealed to their kind side, mentioned being disabled and a new mum so exhausted etc. Nope, upheld.

It mentions either paying - which I'd do just to get rid of the stress, or appealing to popla.

Anyway, I had literally no gain to parking in this space. There were plenty of normal and disabled spaces, and I still paid the same amount for parking as if I didn't have a badge.

Am I likely to win at popla stating this, or should I just pay? I know a lot of people advise not to pay etc, but I can't do this, I have severe anxiety and PPD and can't deal with the stress.

Thank you!

Fruitcake

Plan A is always a complain to the landowner and your MP.

This could have been killed off with a single appeal if the driver's identity had not been revealed. Never mind, APCOA are !!!!!! cats and have yet to take anyone to court.

Appeal to PoPLA using all the appeal points available to you. This will include,

An occupant of the vehicle was a blue badge holder (include a copy) and the driver had a right to use an accessible parking bay.
The operator failed to mitigate their loss by cancelling the charge as soon as their employee was shown the blue badge.
The blue badge scheme does not apply on private land. Forcing a disabled person to display a blue badge when there is no requirement to do so is a breach of the Equality Act 2010, and failing to anticipate the needs of a disabled motorist is indirect discrimination, which is a criminal offence.
Failing to cancel the charge once the operator was aware that an occupant of the car was disabled is direct discrimination, another criminal offence.
If this was a railway station car park, then it is a railway asset and therefore not relevant land. Failing to display a blue badge is not a breach of railway byelaws
Not the landowner
No standing to issue charges in their own name
Inadequate signage

Expand on the above points using the information from the third post of the NEWBIES sticky Announcement, but only if Plan A fails within the appeal timescales.

Coupon-mad

Don't pay it.  

These railway 'penalty notices' sent out by APCOA time out in just six months and NOTHING will happen.

There is no stress.  You can try POPLA to while away a couple of months and waste APCOA's time but you won't be paying them even when you lose!