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Parking Ticket for Parking in undersized bay: Widney Manor Park and Ride

MajorDanby
MajorDanby Posts: 34 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Hi all,

Hoping you can offer some advice.

I recently parked at a free car park for a local rail station. In the car park they have a series of undersized car parking spaces down one of the walls/barriers.

I parked my car as close to the wall as possible (the wing mirror was in the leaves of an adjacent tree) but this still left my car overstepping the marked bay by approximately 8 inches. I was fully in the bay from a vertical perspective and was not impinging on any other spaces nor obstructing other cars from exiting nearby spaces.

I received a £100 parking fine and after investigating it is indeed clearly displayed that there is a requirement to park within marked bays. My argument is that it is clearly not possible to park fully in such a bay (car is Kia Sportage so not overly big) and that I was not impinging on other spaces or causing an obstruction.

I have appealed the fine with the car parking company, complete with a couple of photo's showing the car as close to the barrier as possible, without success. The company is Excel Parking Services limited, an IPC member.

I would value any advice on whether it is worth moving onto the Independent Appeals Service, noting that EPS have informed me that if I do this I will loose the right to the discounted charge.

Just to add, I am trying to contact the owner of the car park (Transport for West Midlands) but struggling to find an individual there that will listen to me.

Thanks in advance 
«13456

Comments

  • fisherjim
    fisherjim Posts: 6,948 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Pity you didn't come here before, you are dealing with scammers who want these type of incidents rather than to discourage them it's how they make money!
    Your excuses were never going to get this cancelled.
    If this is a railway car park it is likely to be "not relevant land" and subject to bye-laws and a two bit parking company cannot issue one of its invoices, they aren't fines.
    There is no discounted charge it's a bribe to make you pay up and shut up.
    The IAS is a scam not worth engaging with.
    Have you read the newbies thread on here?
  • Yeah I have just done so actually. Looks like my only hope is getting hold of the land owner
  • fisherjim
    fisherjim Posts: 6,948 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Yeah I have just done so actually. Looks like my only hope is getting hold of the land owner

    I thought this was a railway station?
    Where exactly is it?
  • Widney Manor Train Station | Trains to Widney Manor | West Midlands Railway

    The station operator is West Midlands Railway, I'm lead to believe the landowner is Transport for West Midlands although still trying to get certainty on this.
  • Half_way
    Half_way Posts: 7,397 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Do not under any circumstances attempt to name the driver, never use terms like i parked, he, she, husband, wife,  brother, sister, friend etc
    From the Plain Language Commission:

    "The BPA has surely become one of the most socially dangerous organisations in the UK"
  • fisherjim
    fisherjim Posts: 6,948 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    It's very difficult to make out but GSV shows a number small of signs on lamp posts stating that the land is covered by railway bye-laws laughingly right next to the private parking signage.


  • What is the significance of that Fisherjim?

    and @Half_way too late for that I'm afraid!
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 148,142 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 25 September 2024 at 4:12PM
    Yeah I have just done so actually. Looks like my only hope is getting hold of the land owner
    Only hope? Nobody pays Excel here.  You will not ever be paying a penny.

    Get some evidence photos of the bay measurements with a tape measure this month or next week and keep them.  Photos of the overhanging foliage.  Keep them and defend the Claim (easily) with our help when it arrives next year.

    Tell them if you move house as you can't miss the letters. That is all. You'll never pay and your credit rating is safe as long as you don't ignore a court claim form.  We do this every day and that will be your dispute resolution. IAS isn't.
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • KeithP
    KeithP Posts: 41,219 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 25 September 2024 at 4:04PM
    What is the significance of that Fisherjim?

    and @Half_way too late for that I'm afraid!
    The significance is that there is no way that a vehicle's keeper can be liable for a driver's mistake when the land is covered by byelaws. But that's already been thrown away.

    Both car parks at that station have large entrance signs stating that byelaws are in place...

    They also mention the landowner - Transport for West Midlands or maybe  West Midlands Combined Authority.
  • Thanks for everyone's quick and sage advice. The land owner is indeed Transport for West Midlands and I've been able to find a contact and share details of why I am contesting the PCN. Will keep you posted
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