Gatwick drop off zone entered accidentally this morning - assume a charge is incoming - any tips?

jazz_g

Hi everyone,

 

So…

 

I landed at Gatwick in the small hours of this morning and left the Long Stay South car park for which I had booked and paid in advance, as well as having paid an additional overstay change as our flight was delayed (was supposed to get in on Sunday evening but we got in this morning, Tuesday)

 

I don’t quite know how but I obviously took a wrong turn out of the Long Stay South car park and the next thing I know I am at the “drop off zone” which seemingly is going to result in Gatwick expecting a payment from me. I drove straight through the drop off zone and didn’t stop. It was a genuine wrong turn. I have the receipts from the Long Stay South car park to evidence my movements.

 

Looking at the Gatwick website I think there will £5 charge, which, as I went through at roughly 1AM today (Tuesday) I assume I need to pay by midnight tomorrow (Wednesday)…

 

Only thing is I’m a but annoyed – honestly I didn’t see any signage / warning at all about being headed towards a chargeable drop off zone, and I genuinely didn’t drop anyone off!

 

I have read a few other threads about this issue (eg, a similar case at the North Terminal here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6403536/gatwick-north-terminal-drop-off-pcn-without-stopping) and I was wondering if anybody had any guidance in my situation?

 

I know it is only £5 but it really is the principle and I’m happy to play along as necessary to resolve as best as possible for myself (can I get the £5 written off?) and others (does a complaint need to be made to enact a change at Gatwick, eg to my MP?)

 

Thanks in advance, all,

 

G

KeithP

Hello and welcome.

There are Gatwick posts here most days.

Look down the first page of threads and see at least this one...
Gatwick NCP
...updated earlier this afternoon.

Easy to beat.

jazz_g

Cheers!

So, is the correct course of action:

1) do not pay the £5 charge online

2) wait for a letter to come saying I didn't pay the £5 charge

3) reply with:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Appeal against Parking Charge Notice (PCN) no. LGXXXXXX

I dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle. I deny any liability or contractual agreement and I will be making a complaint about your predatory conduct to your client landowner, Gatwick Airport Ltd, as well as to my local MP.

I contest and appeal this ‘parking charge’, on the grounds that you have failed to comply with Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012; the issue date of your PCN was 30 days later than the day after which the specified period of parking ended, and not within 14 days as required in paragraph 9 of the aforementioned Act. Therefore, keeper liability does not apply. There will be no admissions as to who was driving, and no assumptions can be drawn.

You must also include a close-up actual photograph of the sign that you contend was at the location on the material date, including evidence that it was properly illuminated on the date and time in question.

The driver did not stop, did not park, did not drop anyone off, but drove through due to the known problems of the confusing signage at this location.
I will be complaining to the BPA and the DVLA about this because NCP have unlawfully obtained and processed my personal data.

Yours sincerely,

KeithP

Well you can only use the words "your PCN was 30 days later than the day after which the specified period of parking ended" if that turns out to be true.

B789

Or you could just write and tell them to go swivel. 

Dear NCP,

As the Registered Keeper (RK) of vehicle registration AB12CDE I am writing to advise you that you need to pursue the driver and I am under no obligation to let you know who that was on the day concerned. You know perfectly well that Gatwick Airport Drop-Off Zone is not relevant land for the purposes of PoFA 2012 and therefore you cannot hold me, as the RK liable for your charge.

Please cancel this PCN and save us both time and money or issue me with a POPLA code where it will be quashed.

Coupon-mad

It's a cinch to beat. Combine both if you like!

Le_Kirk

Small point, if you start a letter with Dear Sir/Madam, it finishes with yours faithfully.

DullGreyGuy

How much is your life worth?

You are valuing your time at well under £5 given your going to incur the cost of posting letters etc.

Its one thing to fight a charge thats already become a PCN its a totally different thing to spend hours of your life to ultimate save £3 or such... value your life higher, pay the charge on time and move on.

Umkomaas

DullGreyGuy said:

How much is your life worth?

You are valuing your time at well under £5 given your going to incur the cost of posting letters etc.

Its one thing to fight a charge thats already become a PCN its a totally different thing to spend hours of your life to ultimate save £3 or such... value your life higher, pay the charge on time and move on.

Much depends on your attitude to being incorrectly charged for something.

Stan765

Hi All I have had some help in the past with APOCA

I have been reading through your posts regarding the drop off charge at Gatwick airport and the process of appealing. UIn this case the 24 hour time limit was missed by the driver and after that time it was not possible to pay on their online site. The vehicle was only in the zone  exactly 122 seconds not that that matters.

Parking charge Notice to Keeper arrived 46 days later with a discount cost of £60.

I am not in dispute about the need to pay a parking charge but the level of costs NCP are claiming after missing the 24hrs is in no way commensurate with the initial parking charge rate. I note that the 14 day discount period cost has increased since 2021 by 300% quite a lot above inflation.

Also I note that the Dartford crossing charge has a relaxed payment process and some days later it is still possible to pay despite their 24hr request to pay.

So as an appeal against the charge?

I am appealing about the lack of time allowed to make payment being designed to capture drivers within their penalty process.

Then, the extortionate Cost and Discount period cost, stated on the Parking Charge Notice to Keeper.

The late arrival of the Notice to Keeper 46 days in relation to Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

However I am a bit confused about the first approach. Should it be the standard template letter just to get the Popla number. And then expect them to drop the charge at that stage.

I have seen the posts regarding

Sara Roberts, Head of AOS at the BPA is already investigating a formal complaint ref:BPA-032489 about your set up at Gatwick Airport, which breaches the BPA CoP and in this instance your appalling signage and no method for people to actually pay before leaving if they do use the drop-off area.

Has this resulted in NCP changing anything? Having been through Gatwick again today myself I see there is better signage and the NCP site has more info regarding late payment.

 

How should I proceed?

Coupon-mad

Nope, just appeal as registered keeper, saying the PCN is 'non-PoFA' so get lost because they'll lose at POPLA and the driver will not be identified.

You won't even need POPLA!

I note that the 14 day discount period cost has increased since 2021 by 300% quite a lot above inflation.

Are NCP no longer setting the discount at £15?