APCOA PCN Manchester Airport Drop-off

Umkomaas

I'm sure it's not going to take long for the word to get out about how to have APCOA extortionate PCNs at Manchester Airport cancelled. Anyone who gets one and gets it cancelled is no doubt going to tell friends and families how to do it.  Word spreads fast!

While we don't condone it, there's nothing in place to encourage knowledgeable drivers to actually pay the drop-off fee.

MoreSmarties

quizlady said:

Thanks for the advice. We completed the appeal exactly as suggested, and today received an email with an attachment stating "Cancellation of Parking Charge". 
It works!

Great news! How long did it take?

MoreSmarties

I drive a company car, and the registered keeper is my employer. When they received the PCN, they forwarded it to me. I'm now unsure whether I should appeal as the keeper. My concern is that if my employer—who is officially listed as the keeper—receives any response related to the appeal as keeper, it might appear that I’ve provided incorrect information, which could reflect poorly on me. Any experience on this case is appreciated.

James_Poisson

MoreSmarties said:

I drive a company car, and the registered keeper is my employer. When they received the PCN, they forwarded it to me. I'm now unsure whether I should appeal as the keeper. My concern is that if my employer—who is officially listed as the keeper—receives any response related to the appeal as keeper, it might appear that I’ve provided incorrect information, which could reflect poorly on me. Any experience on this case is appreciated.

You are the day to day keeper.

ChirpyChicken

MoreSmarties said:

I drive a company car, and the registered keeper is my employer. When they received the PCN, they forwarded it to me. I'm now unsure whether I should appeal as the keeper. My concern is that if my employer—who is officially listed as the keeper—receives any response related to the appeal as keeper, it might appear that I’ve provided incorrect information, which could reflect poorly on me. Any experience on this case is appreciated.

Your thinking is incorrect 
Appeal in the name of the employer 
On the form the website select the drop down box as keeper
Use the standard airport appeal text that wins 
But it must go in the name of the registered keeper not in your name
It will then be cancelled and you will get the reply cancellation just use your own email address.

MoreSmarties

ChirpyChicken said:

MoreSmarties said:

I drive a company car, and the registered keeper is my employer. When they received the PCN, they forwarded it to me. I'm now unsure whether I should appeal as the keeper. My concern is that if my employer—who is officially listed as the keeper—receives any response related to the appeal as keeper, it might appear that I’ve provided incorrect information, which could reflect poorly on me. Any experience on this case is appreciated.

Your thinking is incorrect 
Appeal in the name of the employer 
On the form the website select the drop down box as keeper
Use the standard airport appeal text that wins 
But it must go in the name of the registered keeper not in your name
It will then be cancelled and you will get the reply cancellation just use your own email address.

I’ve just submitted the appeal for the PCN as instructed. Thanks and finger crossed

ChirpyChicken

Woop thats good !

doubledotcom

Beware that APCOA can issue two PCNs for the price of one at Manchester. I have received two separate NtKs for the same location at the same time on the same date.

First is for "Pick up in Drop off" observed from 22/06/2025 09:46:04 to 09:47:36.

Second is for "Use of Pick up/Drop off Zone without making a valid payment" observed from 22/06/2025 09:38:01 to  09:47:52.

These are both at the same location, Manchester Airport Lower Forecourt Drop Off T2.

Both of these (and another one from a few days later) have of course been appealed with the usual implied referral to the answer given in Arkell v Pressdram. However, I have also filed a formal complaint with the DVLA as they have clearly broken the KADOE contract by having no reasonable cause to request my DVLA data twice.

We'll see how the DVLA deal with it. I have pre-empted their usual fob-off with the following:

I am submitting a formal complaint against APCOA Parking (UK) Ltd for a serious breach of the DVLA’s KADOE contract and UK GDPR.

On 28 June 2025, APCOA issued a PCN to me as the registered keeper for an alleged contravention at Manchester Airport on 22 June 2025, recorded as entering the drop-off zone at 09:38 and exiting at 09:47. This initial request for my data was made under the “reasonable cause” criteria, and I do not dispute that APCOA were entitled to access my Keeper details for that purpose.

However, on 12 July 2025, APCOA issued a second PCN for the same alleged incident, this time recorded as 09:46 to 09:47 — a one-minute overlap with the original timeframe. This second PCN is not a separate contravention, and therefore APCOA had no lawful basis to request my data again. This second request was:

• A clear breach of the KADOE contract, which strictly prohibits multiple data requests for the same incident.

• A violation of UK GDPR, particularly Article 5(1)(c) and (f), as the second request was excessive, unlawful, and lacked any legitimate purpose.

• An abuse of process, designed to harass or double-charge the Keeper for a single event.

I am fully aware of the reasonable cause criteria and expect DVLA to acknowledge that only the first request met that threshold. The second request did not — and I will not accept the usual generic response that “reasonable cause was established” without addressing the duplication.

I expect DVLA to investigate this breach, confirm that APCOA violated the terms of their data access, and take appropriate enforcement action — including sanctions or suspension of their KADOE access if necessary. If not, I would like to know why.

Umkomaas

doubledotcom said:

Beware that APCOA can issue two PCNs for the price of one at Manchester. I have received two separate NtKs for the same location at the same time on the same date.

First is for "Pick up in Drop off" observed from 22/06/2025 09:46:04 to 09:47:36.

Second is for "Use of Pick up/Drop off Zone without making a valid payment" observed from 22/06/2025 09:38:01 to  09:47:52.

These are both at the same location, Manchester Airport Lower Forecourt Drop Off T2.

Both of these (and another one from a few days later) have of course been appealed with the usual implied referral to the answer given in Arkell v Pressdram. However, I have also filed a formal complaint with the DVLA as they have clearly broken the KADOE contract by having no reasonable cause to request my DVLA data twice.

We'll see how the DVLA deal with it. I have pre-empted their usual fob-off with the following:

I am submitting a formal complaint against APCOA Parking (UK) Ltd for a serious breach of the DVLA’s KADOE contract and UK GDPR.

On 28 June 2025, APCOA issued a PCN to me as the registered keeper for an alleged contravention at Manchester Airport on 22 June 2025, recorded as entering the drop-off zone at 09:38 and exiting at 09:47. This initial request for my data was made under the “reasonable cause” criteria, and I do not dispute that APCOA were entitled to access my Keeper details for that purpose.

However, on 12 July 2025, APCOA issued a second PCN for the same alleged incident, this time recorded as 09:46 to 09:47 — a one-minute overlap with the original timeframe. This second PCN is not a separate contravention, and therefore APCOA had no lawful basis to request my data again. This second request was:

• A clear breach of the KADOE contract, which strictly prohibits multiple data requests for the same incident.

• A violation of UK GDPR, particularly Article 5(1)(c) and (f), as the second request was excessive, unlawful, and lacked any legitimate purpose.

• An abuse of process, designed to harass or double-charge the Keeper for a single event.

I am fully aware of the reasonable cause criteria and expect DVLA to acknowledge that only the first request met that threshold. The second request did not — and I will not accept the usual generic response that “reasonable cause was established” without addressing the duplication.

I expect DVLA to investigate this breach, confirm that APCOA violated the terms of their data access, and take appropriate enforcement action — including sanctions or suspension of their KADOE access if necessary. If not, I would like to know why.

Munch, munch ...... 🍿 👍

Sazbee1974

quizlady said:

Thanks for the advice. We completed the appeal exactly as suggested, and today received an email with an attachment stating "Cancellation of Parking Charge". 
It works!

how long did it take to hear back?