ParkDirect UK Private PCN. No sign at entrance at all. Main sign overgrown by tree

mcrowe

Hi

We have a local community drop-in centre, the car park is effectively split

Half is allocated for the use of our centre, (about 7 spaces) the other half is for the use of local offices (also about 7 spaces). There is no actual split or marking on the ground or on any sign to show which part is for our community use, and which for the local office use. Local people just know, it's been this way for years.

There is no sign at all at the entrance to the car park. Not even a company name - nothing.

Here is the entrance:






After entering the car park and passing half of it, there is one main, quite large, sign with standard Car Park wording. This is currently entirely covered by an overgrown pine tree in recent months - no wording at all is legible. At night it isn't visible that there's even a sign there at all. 




At the very end of the car park (ie if you turn right and go all the way to the end) there are 2 small signs with the same standard wording. They are not lit up. 

(Let's assume for the purposes of my question that the wording on those actual signs is broadly compliant - i will try to add an image tonight)

Separately, 2 of the individual office car parking spaces have small signs saying, say "NO PARKING - PRIVATE PROPERTY" - these signs were put up by 2 of the office tenants and refer to their own specific spaces. I don't think these notices are intended for legal purposes, just to alert other courteous users of the community Centre to never park in those 2 spaces, which is indeed adhered to. All the other car-parking spaces have no individual signs on them.


The signs all make no reference to which parts of the car park, and which parts they do not cover. There was no sign near where my car was actually parked, nor did the driver pass any sign in getting to where they parked (except the tree-covered one)

I have photos of all of these signs.

There is no mention on the signs that the spaces for our community centre are free for anyone to park. (our centre is not strict on who does or doesn't park there). To be fair, this situation has been in place for years, and ParkDirect UK never puts tickets on cars parked in our Community Centre places. They must have their own guidance. But the signs make no mention of this point, or any distinction.

The driver parked on Friday night, long after all the office staff had gone home. Nobody was parked in any of the office spaces.
The driver parked near the edge of the area allocated for our community centre - it wasn't clear whether they overstepped the mark - those particular lines are long cracked and blurred over.

ParkDirect put a windscreen ticket on the car at 2am later on that Friday night (ie Saturday morning)

Not sure what best plan is. The community Centre organisers are quite informal and easygoing, this is a positive but it also means they won't get involved with whoever has contracted ParkDirect etc - it's up to me the keeper, or Driver to deal with ParkDirect or cough up £60

What's best steps?



 

Brie

Ask the admins for the community centre and possible the offices to get the ticket rescinded.  

mcrowe

Thanks

Unfortunately the admins from the Community Centre as I said, will not get involved at all. It's a flat no.

There are many different offices, and probably some kind of management company, I have no route to getting in touch with them. Additionally, they also are unlikely to help me as from their point of view my car may indeed have been parked slightly into "their" area.


I can only deal with this myself, by appealing or fighting the PCN

Any advice on how to do that?
based on eg:

- No sign on entrance
- main sign overgrown
- the only visible signs are small and on the far wall, my car never entered nearly that fa
- any agreement they have, definitely excludes some spaces, but their sign doesn't explain this at all.

etc

Half_way

mcrowe said:

Thanks

Unfortunately the admins from the Community Centre as I said, will not get involved at all. It's a flat no.

There are many different offices, and probably some kind of management company, I have no route to getting in touch with them. Additionally, they also are unlikely to help me as from their point of view my car may indeed have been parked slightly into "their" area.


I can only deal with this myself, by appealing or fighting the PCN

Any advice on how to do that?
based on eg:

- No sign on entrance
- main sign overgrown
- the only visible signs are small and on the far wall, my car never entered nearly that fa
- any agreement they have, definitely excludes some spaces, but their sign doesn't explain this at all.

etc

Who contracted the parking company?

KeithP

mcrowe said:

There are many different offices, and probably some kind of management company, I have no route to getting in touch with them.

No route??

Can you not just go in through the front door and ask politely who you should speak to about parking?

Coupon-mad

But if that fails, I think your pics are great and you should try an appeal (as registered keeper, not implying who parked).

Be aware the PPC might only allow 21 days to appeal, not 28. See what the PCN says.

Be aware they WILL reject it.

But this one is worth a punt at IAS because your pics are good and PCM usually give up.

Certainly NO PAYING even if appeals fail.

mcrowe

Honestly, i appreciate the time spent in making suggestions about finding out who contracts for the parking for the offices - it isn't an option in this case.

mcrowe

Coupon-mad said:

But if that fails, I think your pics are great and you should try an appeal (as registered keeper, not implying who parked).

Be aware PCM might only allow 21 days to appeal, not 28. See what the PCN says.

Be aware they WILL reject it.

But this one is worth a punt at IAS because your pics are good and PCM usually give up.

Certainly NO PAYING even if appeals fail.

ok, so do i as the keeper start my appeal right now?

The PCN says i have 28 days to appeal, to Park Direct internally first, then to IAS