What is the policy of a "no stopping" private car park? Immediate fine?

CashStrapped

Just a speculative post (I hope). 

I'm wondering what the policy of these car parks actually is. Is there a grace period? 

I did not take a photo of the sign, so I am sure there was a lot of small print. I was in too much of a rush to get out of there.

I was picking up someone near a busy city centre location and they suggested a nearby car park which I could swing into and collect them.

The entrance to the car park was off a public road, with double yellow lines on the public street and mouth of the corners leading into the car park itself.

As I pulled up, just after the mouth of the corner, I noticed the large sign "no stopping" "£100 fine" or something along those lines. I had pulled up either just before/alongside the sign. I don't think I technically entered the car park. I immediately looked up and saw all the anpr cameras dotted about. After ushering them into the car as quick as I could, I gingerly reversed and then turned around in the mouth of the entrance.  The person was insisting I could have turned around in the car park.

I explained to the person it was not a good place to collect. They were completely clueless as to the car park rules. It seems the car park must have recently changed hands. Beforehand it was a normal car park hence they thought it was a good spot.

So, I am somewhat hopeful I did not go far enough down the entrance road to trigger the camera and technically enter the car park. I was probably there for 1 minute. 

It's been two weeks and nothing in the post as of yet.....but...I am sure something could still arrive.

My query is.....are these car parks really no stopping? There is zero grace period?

If had actually entered the car park and stopped for a moment to reverse, would that have triggered a fine? Or is stopping defined by a specific length of time?

It looked like a nasty car park to be caught out by. Thankfully I saw the sign as I rounded the corner and hopefully stopped before entering.

Coupon-mad

Is the address on your V5C up to date? Because I would expect a scam private PCN to have arrived, yes. Ignore it.

Car1980

They have 14 days to invoke keeper liability, so they are usually very on it as they don't want to lose this potential path to profit.

So you're more likely to not receive anything now.

But they will get you if it's only a second. But they'll also get you if you stop before a zebra crossing and stop to avoid killing anyone. They're on very shaken legal ground with these insane no stopping zones.

CashStrapped

As a follow-up, I looked into the firm that administers the car park, I could not find a copy of the sign, but I did find this sentence as to their policy in that area.

"It effectively captures vehicle registration numbers when they halt in violation of the designated 2-minute no-stopping period"

So it may have had a 2 minute grace period. There is a very good chance I was parked up for less time than that.

At the moment, I'm less concerned about if I violated it or not. Just what "no stopping" actually means for private firms. Assuming people have to stop and read the signs, or they made a mistake, you would assume there is some grace period.

Coupon-mad

CashStrapped said:

As a follow-up, I looked into the firm that administers the car park, I could not find a copy of the sign, but I did find this sentence as to their policy in that area.

"It effectively captures vehicle registration numbers when they halt in violation of the designated 2-minute no-stopping period"

So it may have had a 2 minute grace period.

Please show us that link. Which PPC and which location, we may know it?

1505grandad

Is the ppc BaySentry?

https://baysentry.com/case studies/whitehall-riverside-leeds-ptz-solution/

Half_way

If thats a private road/area then there is a lot wrong with the statement in that link

fisherjim

BaySentry installed a PTZ camera system to enhance enforcement measures at Whitehall Riverside. It effectively captures vehicle registration numbers when they halt in violation of the designated 2-minute no-stopping period. Vehicles found in breach of this regulation receive Penalty Charge Notices as a consequence.

O dear private parking company issuing "penalty notices" "2 minute no stopping period" lack of signage etc etc.

CashStrapped

I think that is the one but can't be 100% sure.

I must say there was good signage there. It's why I stopped immediately before going any further. But the idea of a "no stopping, £100 fine car park" seemed pretty brutal.

The paragraph quoted makes it sound like they are covering a public access street. But the reality is, as far as I could see, is that they only cover the private car park off the public street.

It was certainly recently taken over as google map pictures from a year ago show a standard council type car park.

At best, I either did not venture far enough into the car park to trigger anything, or I was quick enough to get out of there before anything was triggered. I was probably done and gone in 40 seconds.

CashStrapped

I found an image of the signs, although I am sure the one I saw was a formatted differently, possibly newer.
However this was positioned on the opposite side to where I pulled up. So while I did not see the "beyond this point sign" I don't think I went far enough to be cross the line onto private land.

fisherjim

CashStrapped said:

I found an image of the signs, although I am sure the one I saw was a formatted differently, possibly newer.
However this was positioned on the opposite side to where I pulled up. So while I did not see the "beyond this point sign" I don't think I went far enough to be cross the line onto private land.

That is not "good signage"!