PCN from Ocean Parking in Milton Keynes - help!

kilpin1899

Hi all,

Could use a bit of advice on a PCN I've recently received from Ocean Parking whilst visiting Milton Keynes. Unfortunately I found this forum a bit late, so have already appealled to Ocean Parking directly, which they rejected. They're now giving me the option to appeal to POPLA, but claim that if I do that, the 'discounted' fine is immediately removed (presumably so they don't have to absorb the cost of the POPLA appeal - is this even legal? )

(Image removed by Forum Team)

They're claiming that I didn't have a valid ticket. I purchased a ticket through the app advertised on the payment machines (which I have a reciept for), but they're claiming that the ticket I purchased is only valid for a different 'zone'.

I'm not from the area so unfortunately it's difficult for me to go back and scrutinise all the signage. Google Maps shows pictures from June 2023 - the entrance is here (it won't let me post links unfortunately):



This picture shows an aerial view of the car park, with the position I parked and the route I took:



Immediately adjacent to that parking spot is a pay machine, with the details clearly visible. It was that machine I gathered the details from to pay via the app. A picture of the spot and the pay machine from a different angle:



Here's the machine as seen in their 'evidence' picture they sent me!



I appealed via their website with the following:

To whom it may concern,

Re: Parking ticket XXXXXXX

I was issued with a parking ticket for parking at Milton Keynes shopping centre on XXXXXX. The car was parked there between XXXX and XXXX. I have been charged £100.

I believe that this ticket was issued unfairly. I am not liable for the amount payable because: I purchased a ticket via the MyRingGo app using the code location specified from the machine immediately adjacent to the space I used. You can see the ticket machine I used in the first picture of your evidence.

I have enclosed the following evidence to demonstrate my claim: A picture of the reciept from the MyRingGo app, and a copy of your evidence with the ticket machine highlighted.

Yours faithfully,

XXXXXX.

They rejected the appeal, and have replied with the following:









Does anyone have any recommendations on where to go from here? Do you think an appeal to POPLA is likely to be successful based on the information above? Can anyone spot any holes in any of their correspondence that I can use if I do decide to appeal to POPLA?

The whole thing just leaves a really bitter taste - especially as I can prove that I did purchase a ticket. It looks like they're claiming that the payment machine next to the spot I used isn't actually for that area. It feels like the whole thing has been designed to be intentionally misleading!

Any advice appreciated.

Fruitcake

It is not a fine.

Plan A is a complaint to the landowner and your MP. It is never too late to do this.

Plan B is to appeal, which you have already done. 

Plan C is an appeal to PoPLA (or ignore if the PPC is an IPC member)

Construct a draft PoPLA appeal and post it here for checking before you submit it.

Use all the points available to you from the third post of the sticky Announcement for NEWBIES. These should include, but not be limited to,

Not the landowner
No standing to issue charges in their own name
Inadequate signage
BPA failures
No breach occurred

Anything else relevant. Normally you would also include Non-PoFA compliant NTK, but since your appeal outed the driver, and the NTK looks PoFA compliant at a swift glance, you can't include it.

Debszzzz2

The NtK fails PoFA 9(2)(e)(i) in that it does not "invite the keeper to pay the unpaid charges". It's a pity that your initial appeal just about gives away that you, the keeper, were also the driver as that could have been a winning point at POPLA.

Coupon-mad

Oh dear, looks like you used the awful MSE article appeal and admitted to driving, instead of coming here and using our template appeal.

Never mind.  Certainly no paying.

Le_Kirk

Can't see the code in that picture you have posted; are you sure it was the same code 27514 in E1.1?  Did you have to input your VRM and was it correct?

Churchy000

Hello kilpin1899

Did you get anywhere with your appeal?
I've just received a PCN from Ocean for the same area in Milton Keynes....possibly even the same carpark. I also used the phone app...I was literally 2 bays away from the machine, but I always use the apps.

They rejected my first appeal (I sent them the RingGo receipt just like you) using the exact same excuse you received, so I'm resubmitting with additional information.

I noted that the postcode they are saying the contravention was in is not where I parked, but on the other side of the main road. I've sent them images from RingGo showing where the parking coverage is and where I parked, PLUS I've also sent screen grabs of my Google timeline showing precisely where I went on that day - the only time I was ever not on the main road was when I parked there...in the location I stated to them.

Not sure how much success I will have - sounds like they are digging their heals in with you.

How have you got on?

Thanks

Coupon-mad

Churchy000 said:

Hello kilpin1899

Did you get anywhere with your appeal?
I've just received a PCN from Ocean for the same area in Milton Keynes....possibly even the same carpark. I also used the phone app...I was literally 2 bays away from the machine, but I always use the apps.

They rejected my first appeal (I sent them the RingGo receipt just like you) using the exact same excuse you received, so I'm resubmitting with additional information.

I noted that the postcode they are saying the contravention was in is not where I parked, but on the other side of the main road. I've sent them images from RingGo showing where the parking coverage is and where I parked, PLUS I've also sent screen grabs of my Google timeline showing precisely where I went on that day - the only time I was ever not on the main road was when I parked there...in the location I stated to them.

Not sure how much success I will have - sounds like they are digging their heals in with you.

How have you got on?

Thanks

Welcome!

You will need to start your own thread and show the PCN as a picture, please.

Nobody really cares much about appeal stage because it's not impartial, but nobody here pays. Doesn't matter if the farce of 'appeal' works or not.