Bristol Airport NTK - 104) Stopping to Pick-Up/Drop Off In a Restricted Zone

KeithP

RRTechie said:

Update:

- Received Claim Form and have implemented the great AoS process in the Newbies section to submit my Acceptance of Service (AoS).

- My deadline for submitting defence is 24/08/2024.

RRTechie said:

Issue Date: 22/07

AoS: Today 31/07

You have a couple of days more than you think. A court deadline is never on a Saturday or Sunday, or indeed on a Bank Holiday.

But there might be something useful here...

With a Claim Issue Date of 22nd July, and having filed an Acknowledgment of Service in a timely manner, you have until 4pm on Tuesday 27th August 2024 to file a Defence.

That's nearly four weeks away. Plenty of time to produce a Defence but please don't leave it to the last minute.

To create a Defence, and then file a Defence by email, look at the second post in the NEWBIES thread.

Don't miss the deadline for filing a Defence.

Do not try and file a Defence via the MoneyClaimOnline website. Once an Acknowledgment of Service has been filed, the MCOL website should be treated as 'read only'.

RRTechie

KeithP said:

RRTechie said:

Update:

- Received Claim Form and have implemented the great AoS process in the Newbies section to submit my Acceptance of Service (AoS).

- My deadline for submitting defence is 24/08/2024.

RRTechie said:

Issue Date: 22/07

AoS: Today 31/07

You have a couple of days more than you think. A court deadline is never on a Saturday or Sunday.

But there might be something useful here...

With a Claim Issue Date of 22th July, and having filed an Acknowledgment of Service in a timely manner, you have until 4pm on Monday 26th August 2024 to file a Defence.

That's nearly four weeks away. Plenty of time to produce a Defence but please don't leave it to the last minute.

To create a Defence, and then file a Defence by email, look at the second post in the NEWBIES thread.

Don't miss the deadline for filing a Defence.

Do not try and file a Defence via the MoneyClaimOnline website. Once an Acknowledgment of Service has been filed, the MCOL website should be treated as 'read only'.

Thanks Keith...I was purely going by the information in the Newbies section regarding the date...24/08 is close enough for me and I'll likely sort way before then.

Fruitcake

Imnotpaying said:

"3. The Operator is authorised by the Landowner to undertaker Parking Management, Control and Enforcement at the site by a contract dated 07th October 2019."
Glad to know the Landowner has a funeral provision contract with the operator..... 

... except that the landowner doesn't have any type of contract with the operator, funeral or parking or anything else. If they did, both VCS and the landowner's sub-contractor, BA Ltd, would surely have mentioned it by now, and possibly even produced a copy of it in court. To the very best of my knowledge, no such contract has ever been mentioned or produced by the operator or the landowner's sub-contractor.

Drizet10

Hi all, 

I'm pretty much going through the exact scenario above and have just received my first letter from DCBL (notice of debt recovery), looking forward to seeing when the case gets transferred to my local court if VCS will travel to Northern Ireland.
Made a separate complaint to the DVLA about providing my info, they initially tried to Fob me off, but I have resubmitted the complaint will update when I get a reply.

LDast

@Drizet10, you need to start your own thread after reading the Newbies/FAQ thread, especially regarding keeper liability in NI. 

KeithP

@RRTechie, there was an error in my earlier post.

Because 26th August is a Bank Holiday, you actually have until 4pm on Tuesday 27th August 2024 to file a Defence

Fruitcake

You can split the defence up and show it across two or more threads.

RRTechie

Fruitcake said:

You can split the defence up and show it across two or more threads.

Good point, thanks...proving my brain is not functioning so well at the moment! For some reason i never thought of that.

Have removed the post and will now send out across two separate posts.

Coupon-mad

But don't show us paragraph 5 onwards of the Template words please. Certainly not the whole thing up to para 30. We only need to see your bit (para 2 and 3 and maybe another paragraph if you needed more). 

RRTechie

- My defence Part 1 -

Hi Everyone...

Please see below for my full Defence split across two posts due to the character length maxing out the limits of a single post.

My deadline is perceivably Tuesday early evening but I'd rather email it out during business hours today if at all possible. Thank you in advance for checking it over.

Part1 is provided below which includes the top section up to and including item 16 which is all bar my last bespoke change from the template...

IN THE COUNTY COURT

Claim No.:  ****

Between

Vehicle Control Services Limited

 

(Claimant) 

 

- and –

 

****

(Defendant)

_________________

 

 

DEFENCE

 

1.     The Defendant denies that the Claimant is entitled to relief in the sum claimed, or at all.  It is denied that any conduct by the driver was in breach of any term.  Further, it is denied that this Claimant (understood to have a bare licence as agents) has standing to sue or form contracts in their own name. Liability is denied, whether or not the Claimant is claiming 'keeper liability', which is unclear from the boilerplate text in the Particulars of Claim ('the POC').

The facts known to the Defendant:

2.     The facts in this defence come from the Defendant's own knowledge and honest belief.  Conversely, the Claimant sets out a cut-and-paste incoherent and sparse statement of case. The POC appear to be in breach of CPR 16.4, 16PD3 and 16PD7, and fail to "state all facts necessary for the purpose of formulating a complete cause of action". The Defendant is unable, on the basis of the POC, to understand with certainty what case, allegation(s) and what heads of cost are being pursued, making it difficult to respond. However, the vehicle is recognised and it is admitted that the Defendant was the registered keeper.

3.     VCS are not the landowner. The Bristol Airport website details the following Ownership hierarchy…
“Bristol Airport is owned by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP).
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan owns the largest number of shares and has been an investor in our airport since 2001. They are Canada's largest single-profession pension plan with over C$200 billion in net assets and represent around 333,000 working and retired teachers.

OTPP have their headquarters in Toronto with a number of regional offices, including in the UK. It has holdings in five freehold airports in Europe: Copenhagen Airports, Brussels Airport, Bristol Airport, Birmingham Airport and London City Airport.

In addition to OTPP, Australia’s New South Wales Treasury Corporation ("TCorp"), the Australian Retirement Trust (“ART”) and StepStone own a minority interest in the airport.”

The airport is managed by a sub-contractor to the landowner, Bristol Airport limited, and Vehicle Control Services Limited are sub-contractors to this management company, not the landowner.

4.     The Particulars of Claim is inadequate by failing to define a cause of action because it does not state whether the charge was issued for dropping off, or for picking up. The car was at the airport being driven to the Drop and Go Car Park. The claim is for "Stopping to Pick Up/Drop Off in a restricted zone" but the claimant has failed to specify whether it was for Stopping to Pick Up, or Stopping to Drop Off. In addition, the claimant has failed to specify the location of the "Restricted Zone."

A recent persuasive appeal judgment in Civil Enforcement Limited v Chan (Ref. E7GM9W44) would indicate the POC fails to comply with Civil Procedure Rule 16.4(1)(e) and Practice Direction Part 16.7.5. On the 15th August 2023, in the cited case, HHJ Murch held that 'the particulars of the claim as filed and served did not set out the conduct which amounted to the breach in reliance upon which the claimant would be able to bring a claim for breach of contract'. The same is true in this case and in view of the Chan judgment (transcript below) the Court should strike out the claim, using its powers pursuant to CPR 3.4. 

5.     It is averred that no contract to manage or enforce parking on this land exists between the Landowner and the Claimant or flows from the Landowner to the Claimant. Further, it is averred that this Claimant (understood to have a bare licence as agents of a sub-contractor) has no standing to sue or form contracts in their own name.

The claimant has failed to produce any proof that such contract with or flowing from the landowner exists. If such a contract did exist, it is reasonable to assume that a copy, or a copy of the relevant parts would have been provided by the claimant. The fact that no such contract has been produced by the claimant would suggest that on the balance of probabilities that no such contract exists. The claimant is put to strict proof that the contrary is true.

6.     In order to pursue the Defendant as Keeper of the vehicle in question, the Claimant (VCS) is relying on Schedule 4 of the POFA. However, para. 1 of this schedule states that “This Schedule applies where— (a) the driver of a vehicle is required by virtue of a relevant obligation to pay parking charges in respect of the parking of the vehicle on relevant land”. Firstly, it is to be noted that this is an event of stopping but not parking. No parking event has, nor is alleged to have occurred in relation to this claim and so Schedule 4 of the POFA does not apply.

7.     The site is not relevant land since airport byelaws apply as defined by Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA) 2012, therefore the vehicle keeper cannot be held liable.

Schedule 4 of the POFA Para. 3 goes on to clarify: “In this Schedule “relevant land” means any land (including land above or below ground level) other than—… (b) a parking place which is provided or controlled by a traffic authority. (c) any land (not falling within paragraph (a) or (b)) on which the parking of a vehicle is subject to statutory control.” However, Bristol Airport is under the statutory control of Bristol Airport Byelaws 2012 section 6 “Prohibited Acts on private airport roads and other parts of the airport to which traffic enactments do not apply”. Therefore, the airport is not ‘Relevant Land’ and therefore the vehicle keeper (the defendant) cannot be held liable. The case should be struck out accordingly.

8.     In reference to an email PDF letter the Defendant received dated 03/01/2024 from Excel Parking Services in response to their appeal sent to VCS…
Bristol Airport Bylaws:
In the letter received as the registered keeper dated 03/01/2024 Excel/VCS stated the following…
“Byelaws are not currently in use as the last set of byelaws published relate to the old airport site and are now regarded as obsolete by the Airport Company.”

This statement is not true, the Bristol Airport Bylaws are not Obsolete…Bylaws apply to land under statutory control and do not just become "obsolete". The airport land is still the airport land and if it's airport land then it is not Relevant Land and the vehicle keeper cannot be held liable.

The Right Honourable John Penrose MP wrote to Bristol Airport detailing that VCS had stated that Bylaws were obsolete and he (Mister Penrose) received the following response on 21/09/2023…
“Firstly, our Byelaws are definitely in place and are not obsolete. We have of course contacted our third-party parking enforcement provider who have identified an issue with the wording used in the response to the constituent, which does not align with their usual communication standards. The operative used incorrect phrasing with regards to Byelaws in this particular response. Excel Parking Services have assured us that this wording anomaly is not consistent  with the response typically used in other communications.”

Please note that the response received from Bristol Airport clearly states that Bylaws ‘are definitely in place and are not obsolete’ and that Excel Parking Services had assured Bristol Airport that ‘this wording anomaly is not consistent with the response typically used in other communications’ however, clearly this is not the case because Excel recited the same mistruth to the Defendant!

9.     According to VCS’ own photographs, the vehicle was stopped at Traffic Lights with a Pedestrian Crossing; Stopping (in a queue) at a Pedestrian crossing is a mandatory byelaw requirement therefore there is no breach of parking contract. Additionally, stopping at a traffic light is required by UK law and as per Section 192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, "road, in relation to England and Wales, means any highway and any other road to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes". The roads on Bristol Airport's land are publicly accessible and therefore UK legislation applies.

As evidenced by the still images provided on both charge notices, it is unequivocally clear that multiple pedestrians, are using the crossing. Additionally, the pedestrian traffic control light is green, indicating that pedestrians are crossing and the road traffic light is red, requiring vehicles to stop. It therefore appears that VCS are condoning both breaking the law and placing pedestrians and other road users in grave danger, and are attempting to penalise any driver who refuses to do both of these.

Bristol Airport Byelaws 2012 state the following: -
6. PROHIBITED ACTS ON PRIVATE AIRPORT ROADS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE AIRPORT TO WHICH ROAD TRAFFIC ENACTMENTS DO NOT APPLY On any private Airport roads or other parts of the Airport to which the Road Traffic Enactments do not apply no person shall:

-       6.7 Road Traffic Enactments
drive or cause or permit to be driven any vehicle which fails to comply with any braking, steering, lighting, tyre or electrical requirements which apply to that type of vehicle if it were to be operated on a road to which the Road Traffic Enactments apply.

Failing to stop as required would have caused the driver to commit a prohibited act.

10.  VCS issued a parking charge notice for a non parking event. At the material time, the driver stopped at a red traffic light at a pedestrian crossing a mandatory requirement of airport byelaws.
Stopping is not parking as determined in the persuasive appeal case of Laura Jopson v Honeguard Services, case number B9GF0A9E. Here His Honour Judge Harris QC stated that, "coping with some vicissitude of short duration" is not parking. Stopping as required at a red traffic light at a pedestrian crossing for a few seconds must surely constitute a vicissitude of some short duration. The claimant should not therefore have issued a parking charge notice for a non-parking event.

11.  The defendant is not the person against whom any claim can be made on non-relevant land. In the persuasive appeal case of VCS v Edward, case number H0KF6C9C, it was determined by His Honour judge Mark Gargan that it is not appropriate to draw any inference that, on balance of probability, the registered keeper was driving on any given occasion. His Honour also stated that the evidential effect of establishing that the defendant was the relevant keeper, does not produce any inference, rebuttable or otherwise, that the defendant was driving on this particular occasion. Therefore there is no material inference for the defendant to rebut.
In other words, the defendant has no reason to respond to any assertion that the keeper was the driver, and no inference can be assumed for the keeper's silence on this matter. VCS are fully aware of this case of course, since they were the claimant when the judge found against them.
Were it a requirement of the PoFA to name the driver, their Lordships would surely have included it in the Act.

12.  In the case of Excel Parking Services Ltd v Anthony Smith at Manchester Court, on appeal re claim number C0DP9C4E in June 2017, His Honour Judge Smith overturned an error by a District Judge and pointed out that, where the registered keeper was not shown to have been driving (or was not driving) such a Defendant cannot be held liable outwith the POFA. Nor is there any merit in a twisted interpretation of the law of agency (if that was a remedy then the POFA Schedule 4 legislation would not have been needed at all). HHJ Smith admonished Excel for attempting to rely on a bare assumption that the Defendant was driving or that the driver was acting 'on behalf of' the keeper, which was without merit. Mr Smith's appeal was allowed and Excel's claim was dismissed.

13.  DPA/GDPR infringement: The response the Defendant received to their appeal was not from VCS but was from a separate company named Excel Parking Services Ltd. This company is a totally different company in respect to Companies House; the register of companies retained by Companies House clearly shows that VCS and Excel have different company numbers and are therefore completely separate accounting companies therefore Excel Parking Services is not the same company that Bristol Airport has a contractual agreement with to provide parking enforcement and has a separate incorporation ID and separate accounting. VCS have broken GDPR rules by passing on my personal data to Excel Parking Services, a separate accounting company. The Defendant has complained to their member of parliament and the airport landowners.

14.  The Particulars of Claim indicate that the Claimant wishes the courts to believe that a contract was agreed by the Driver of the vehicle by the act of entering the land of Bristol Airport. However, it is not possible to read, consider and accept the terms of the signage which the Claimant relies upon from a moving car and indeed stopping to read a sign constitutes the very contravention for which this charge has arisen – ‘No Stopping’. Therefore, this supposed contract is paradoxically impossible to accept without breaking. In addition this is unfair contract terms as defined by Consumer Rights Act 2015 para 71.

15.  Part B2 of VCS's KADOE contract allows VCS to obtain data only for purposes related to trespassing, abandonment and parking charges, not for "stopping", and especially not for stopping  at a traffic lights/pedestrian crossings. VCS are therefore in breach of contract, and a complaint will be made to the DVLA in due course. An overview of valid reasons for obtaining data using the KADOE service can be found here: (https://kadoe.co.uk/dvlaimportantinfo/) and a summary is provided below:

"You are reminded of the conditions of the KADOE (Keeper At Date Of Event) agreement signed between DVLA and your company, and the contract signed between your company and VALCON."
"Cars parking on private property
Releasing vehicle information to landowners or their agents helps to find the keeper of a vehicle that has:

⁃       obstructed access to land or property

⁃       been abandoned on private property

⁃       been parked without payment of the relevant fees

⁃       been parked without the right to do so, eg in a space reserved for disabled motorists"

"Information cannot be released for any other reason
DVLA will monitor your use of KADOE and conduct periodic audits to confirm compliance with the regulations.
DVLA must meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act, and false declarations may be referred to the Data Protection Registrar as a suspected breach.

WARNING - UNAUTHORISED USE OF DATA CAN RESULT IN PROSECUTION"

16.  Furthermore, the term “No Stopping”, as written on the signs, is forbidding and therefore not an offer to stop and pay a charge. Therefore, no contract to pay a charge in the event of stopping was agreed to by the Driver and so no charge can be brought about by doing so. Precedence in Case Law can be found in CS036 PCMUK v Bull et al B4GF26K6.