Parking eye PCN - trapped in car park

eazydaze

Hi all,
Long story short. My car was parked in a bay at welcome break services a few days ago. I’ve now received a PCN from PE for an overstay of 18mins.
In reality, the car actually left the bay after approx 90mins, but some unknown obstruction had caused absolute gridlock traffic within the car park. Drivers were getting out and discussing the delay etc. In the end it took around 45 mins from exiting the parking bay to exiting the service area and being logged on the camera.
To me this seems entirely unfair as my car was essentially blocked from leaving for a ridiculous amount of time until the 2hrs had been breached.

I'm wondering if anyone else has ever had a good outcome from a similar scenario? Or if this is just an FU from the universe and I need to simply pay up?
I imagine many other drivers that day will be in the same situation.

Any and all advice welcome!

Gr1pr

Not being able to exit a car park has come up many times, especially if there is gridlock 

Plan A is the best option here, as explained in the newbies sticky thread in announcements by coupon mad 

Plan A is complain 

You definitely shouldn't be paying if its a delayed exit, circumstances beyond your control , waiting to exit is not parking, but is time on site, hence the so called overstay 

Umkomaas

Get Welcome Break involved. They may have details of the logjam. Hopefully others will be complaining to them if in a similar situation to you with PE. 

eazydaze

Ok understood - will reach out to welcome break and report back.

Just seen on their website it says they are unable to cancel PCNs but will give it a go anyway and see what happens.

Gr1pr

Their long term lease ( MSA franchise lease. ) , their exit, their contract with Parking Eye , their problem 

eazydaze

Just had a quick response from welcome break. They’ve cancelled the charge with minimal fuss.

thanks @Gr1pr and @Umkomaas for the responses.

Coupon-mad

Yay!

PLAN A STRIKES AGAIN!

Umkomaas

eazydaze said:

Just had a quick response from welcome break. They’ve cancelled the charge with minimal fuss.

thanks @Gr1pr and @Umkomaas for the responses.

Great stuff, and a really swift resolution by WB. 👍

PE normally confirm a cancellation in writing within around 7-10 days. You can check though at any time by logging in to their website, going as if to pay the charge - obvs don't - to ascertain the current status of the charge. Give it a couple of days for them to action the WB instruction.