Parking Eye @ Royal Bolton Hospital - blue badge holder

SumySani

Hi,

I’m seeking some guidance regarding a PCN I received. I took my 86-year-old father, a blue badge holder, to an outpatient appointment at the Royal Bolton Hospital. I parked in a designated disabled bay, as my father is a blue badge holder, and I made sure the badge was properly displayed on the dashboard, as shown in the pictures of the PCN.

The issue arises from the fact that while I parked in the disabled bay and displayed the blue badge correctly, I failed to register the vehicle as being associated with the blue badge. This is evident because the car I used that day was not the one typically used by my father, he has a different vehicle. However, the blue badge was still valid, as it is linked to the person (my father), not the vehicle.

I'm unsure if there were any signs informing me that the vehicle itself needed to be registered for the blue badge. As far as I know, the blue badge is meant to apply to the person, not the specific vehicle.

I am still within the 14-day window to pay the reduced fine, but I feel this fine is unjust, as the blue badge was used appropriately for the person attending the appointment. I contacted the Parking Management team at the hospital, and they informed me that they couldn’t assist, as ParkingEye (PE) is responsible for managing parking and fines for the trust, and that the fine is legitimate because the car wasn’t registered.

Could you please advise me on how to proceed with this PCN?

Coupon-mad

Just appeal with the Blue Badge and say there were no prominent signs about 'registering' the car as well as displaying the BB.

They'll settle for £20.

SumySani

I have just managed to get the pictures which clearly show the sign "Patient Parking Only" where I parked and then there is PE sign saying "Staff Permit Holders Only" and stating that they need to register with the iFM,
There mixed messages to confuse people.

SumySani

Do I appeal to PALS or PE ?

Coupon-mad

ParkingEye.

Gr1pr

You complain to PALS,  ASAP 

You appeal to Parking Eye,  before the deadline,  if its not cancelled 

SumySani

Does the BPA codes of Practice and Equality Act 2010 not play a part to get the PCN cancelled.
As legally we did everything from our side what we could see from the signage.

Gr1pr

It may do in civil court,  possibly earlier if you complain and appeal,  but it's better to nip this in the bud ASAP,  personally I would hope that PALS would cancel it based on the story and intentions you wrote above 

PALS are there for issues between you and the trust,  Parking Eye arent 

Car1980

Tell us the exact wording on the sign and what they have claimed they have ticketed you for. It's the contract they rely upon so if you're going to go appealing we need to know what it says for your case.

Anybody could say it's "legitimate" when it's anything but.

swingaloo

Our car is registered at Bolton Royal but if I take my husband in my van or my son takes him we have to register the vehicle at the desk. To be fair there are signs everywhere telling you both in the car park and on the way into the hospital. It is your car registration you have registered as being a disabled vehicle, not the blue badge.

SumySani

Hi Swingaloo,
Appreciate your feedback, however, as far as I can remember I did not see signs that said that I had to register the car for the blue badge. I myself do not live in Bolton and neither the car is registered to a Bolton address. Where I parked actually said that it is a staff permit car park, but the disabled bays had a sign for "Patient Parking Only".  This is the only reason I parked, otherwise I was going to leave that car park thinking it was for Staff Only.
This is the car park opposite the J Block - if you are familiar to the site, and I would not drive round looking for signs of what to do for disabled badge users.
I would have expected clear instructions at the car-park advising that the blue badge needs to be registered at reception.