Charge Notice for stopping at red light - Bristol Airport

Drivad

That's crazy. Would you be willing to share the full response from BAL? 

Castle

Imnotpaying said:

I've just re-read my latest correspondence from BAL.  My last paragraph stated, "Had the vehicle simply been stopped at a red traffic light or to allow pedestrians to cross the road, a Charge would not have been issued".  The significance of this did not occur to me at the time, but I can see why they left it out of your letter, @Drivad.

If true, then VCS will have to change all of their "No Stopping" signs because every sign would now need to say "No Stopping except in the following events........................".

Imnotpaying

Drivad said:

That's crazy. Would you be willing to share the full response from BAL? 

Of course! Here it is

Thank you for providing a copy of the Charge Notice issued by VCS. 

 

Bristol Airport and all its approach roads are private land which motorists are allowed to enter provided that they agree to the Terms and Conditions of use. There are 81 signs on site, at the entrance and throughout the roadways, which state: ‘No Stopping’ or ‘No Drop Off or Pick up’.  The entrance signage clearly states motorists will become liable for a charge of £100 if they contravene these Terms and Conditions.
 
The Charge Notice was issued solely because a passenger was picked up/dropped off on this roadway, not because the vehicle was stopped at traffic lights or queueing at traffic lights. At the Bristol Airport site there has previously been a problem of motorists misusing the crossings as a way to circumvent the No Stopping restrictions and pick up/drop-off passengers without using the legitimate car parks or drop off zones on site. As such, additional signage specifically restricting these activities was erected at the crossings. Even if a motorist stops to let pedestrians cross at a crossing or stops in a traffic queue, the signage on site specifically states pick up and drop off activities are prohibited. Had the vehicle simply been stopped at a red traffic light or to allow pedestrians to cross the road, a Charge would not have been issued.

 

All complaints and appeals must be dealt with via VCS and then progressed to the independent or regulatory bodies to which they are accredited, in this case the IPC or IAS. I would like to assist you in confirming the procedure that can be followed in your case along with addresses and websites to gain further information.
 

To take this to an official complaint in the first instance this must be done in writing to VCS  to the address below:

Complaints Department
Vehicle Control Services Limited
PO Box 4777
Sheffield
S9 9DJ
Tel: 0114 2617373

Should you not be satisfied with the outcome of any complaint you lodge against VCS please progress this to the IPC, further details of how to do this can be found at www.theIPC.info.

Thank you for taking your time to write to us and we hope that this will not deter you from using our facilities again in the near future.

 
I replied of course.  Here is some of the text which gives the gist of my argument to BAL:

I think you have misunderstood my complaint.  It refers to the way BAL acts in relation to vehicle control through its contractor, therefore I believe it is rightly addressed to BAL.  

In my initial complaint, you have responded solely to the issue of a Charge Notice, and the circumstances surrounding it .  I included this information only to demonstrate how BAL’s subcontractor, VCS, is acting outwith their agreement with BAL.  My complaint to VCS, to which you have so kindly directed me, is another matter completely, and is already in progress. 

There is nothing in your Complaints Policy that requires a complaint to BAL about the actions of its contractor to be referred to the contractor before being considered as official.  In fact, I do not see anything in your Procedure, to differentiate a “complaint” from an “official complaint”.  Are you able now to confirm that this official complaint will be dealt with in accordance with your Official Complaints Policy.

They agreed to deal with the complaint and, after a much longer delay I received the response (penned by VCS judging by the quality of the grammar and content) that I posted on my thread around 3 October, I think.  I have not yet replied.

I hope that helps.

Coupon-mad

The bottom line is: for what reason did the car stop?  It stopped because the driver had to stop at a red light (that has a secret camera trained on it, almost like VCS set it up).

What happened two or ten (or whatever)  seconds later isn't 'the conduct of the driver' and isn't the reason the car had (already) stopped.

fisherjim

The Charge Notice was issued solely because a passenger was picked up/dropped off on this roadway

They would say that wouldn't they they aren't going to change their stance.

But the driver did not stop to pick up a passenger, the driver stopped because the lights were red, the driver's one and only action that allowed a passenger to get in the car was not locking the car doors, which the fire service advise against!

Fruitcake

Imnotpaying said:

Drivad said:

That's crazy. Would you be willing to share the full response from BAL? 

 

All complaints and appeals must be dealt with via VCS and then progressed to the independent or regulatory bodies to which they are accredited, in this case the IPC or IAS. I would like to assist you in confirming the procedure that can be followed in your case along with addresses and websites to gain further information.
 

Dear BA Ltd,
     This statement is neither true nor possible because the unregulated private parking industry does not offer an independent appeals service, nor is there a regulatory body, because the unregulated private parking industry has blocked every one of the governments' attempt to introduce an independent appeals system, and introduce a regulatory body.

Fruitcake

Imnotpaying said:

Drivad said:

That's crazy. Would you be willing to share the full response from BAL? 

Had the vehicle simply been stopped at a red traffic light or to allow pedestrians to cross the road, a Charge would not have been issued.

 

This is not true. If it was, then VCS would not have issued parking charge notices at at Bristol Airport to:
A motorist who stopped at a Stop sign
A motorist who stopped at a roundabout Give Way sign
A motorist who stopped in a queue of traffic due to a broken down bus
A motorist who stopped in a queue of traffic at car park entrance because the barrier failed to lift (VCS lost in court)
Multiple motorists whose vehicles were outside the area where VCS are contracted to operate

VCS have also been caught lying on multiple occasions, as exposed by The Right Honourable John Penrose MP, by stating that the airport operator (BA Ltd) consider airport bylaws to be obsolete.

Drivad

Hi all, I've just received an N180 form. I've checked out the Newbies post but am struggling to understand what to do here. Can it be filed online? Or do I need to post a copy to both DCBL and the court? 

As always, any advice would be hugely appreciated. 

Coupon-mad

Please read the first 12 steps in the Template Defence thread.

Drivad

Just had a call from DCBLegal offering a settlement of £185. Of course I laughed down the phone.