Brighton Station POPLA/APCOA appeal

f3rn_

Hello, if anyone can help with this it would be much appreciated.

I was issued a Penalty Notice because my vehicle entered what used to be the drop-off area for Brighton Station on Christmas eve 24/12/2023.

I read a lot of the threads on here first - Newbie threads as well as those specifically to do with the Brighton station drop off area and appealing at APCOA first and then POPLA. I never stated who the driver was and have admitted to being the keeper. 

I appealed with APCOA and they rejected the appeal as expected, then I appealed to POPLA and have just received APCOA's evidence against my appeal - I have 7 days to leave comments on the APCOA evidence. 

APCOA's evidence is just a deluge of photos of the signs at Brighton Station - some of them not even relevant to the Penalty notice. 

What is the best way to respond to this? 

my appeal was quite long and included points such as: 
- inadequate signage 
- APCOA posted me a 'Penalty Notice' but online it was called a 'Parking Charge Notice'
- no planning permission for pole mounted ANPR cameras
- they are not the railway company 

Thanks in advance! 

Coupon-mad

Inadequate signage wins these sometimes but just ignore APCOA if not. It times out in 6 months as it's a penalty.

troublemaker22

The boys and girls at POPLA (who are not legally qualified) can’t get their heads round the legal issues around APCOA Railway Byelaws penalty notices. The good news is that you almost certainly won’t have to pay anything so long as you don’t reveal who was driving because APCOA doesn’t prosecute under the byelaws (because it will cost them money for no reward as any fine would go into public funds) and they don’t sue either (because real judges are legally qualified). So if you tough it out, you should be fine. 

As with all private parking tickets, notify the parking company of your new address if you move home in the next 6 years and instruct them to erase the old address.

Coupon-mad

6 months - this one is a Penalty Notice.

troublemaker22

The (in reality zero) prosecution risk times out at 6 months but APCOA writes its evidence to POPLA on the basis that it’s also a contractual parking charge that can be enforced in the County Court. And POPLA falls for this nonsense. So I stick to my advice about notifying changes of address for up to 6 years. 

Coupon-mad

I get it!