POPLA rejected - Confused Newbie

Koiefish · 18 July at 11:21PM

are these letters okay?

Complaint Letter to Downham Leisure Centre

To: Manager, Downham Leisure Centre
Subject: Complaint Regarding Unfair Parking Charge – Equality Act 2010

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding an ongoing issue with a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) issued by MET Parking Services for an alleged contravention at your site. The PCN reference is [INSERT PCN REF NUMBER HERE].

I am a Blue Badge holder and regularly use the disabled bays at Downham Leisure Centre. On the date in question, my Blue Badge was clearly displayed on my dashboard. Unfortunately, due to the angle of my dashboard, it appears MET’s cameras failed to capture the badge, and I was wrongly issued a PCN.

This has happened on more than one occasion. Previously, MET accepted my appeal and cancelled the charge. However, on this occasion, despite a clear explanation and evidence, both MET and POPLA have rejected my appeal. This is particularly concerning as a third similar PCN was later successfully appealed using the same evidence and explanation — which demonstrates inconsistency and unfair treatment.

As a disabled person, I find the appeals process extremely difficult to navigate, and this ongoing issue has caused considerable stress and anxiety.

Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. I believe that failing to acknowledge a clearly displayed Blue Badge due to limitations of a camera system, and then penalising a disabled user for that, is a breach of this duty.

I am therefore asking Downham Leisure Centre to intervene in this matter and request that MET cancel the outstanding PCN. I would appreciate written confirmation that this has been actioned.

I am copying in my local MP as I believe this issue raises wider concerns about the treatment of disabled people in public spaces and enforcement practices that may be discriminatory.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope it can be resolved quickly and fairly.

Yours faithfully,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Details]
Blue Badge Holder

Letter to MP – Request for Support Regarding Disability Discrimination at Downham Leisure Centre

Subject: Request for Support – Disabled Motorist Facing Unfair Parking Penalties at Downham Leisure Centre

Dear [MP's Full Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing as a constituent and a disabled Blue Badge holder to ask for your assistance in addressing an issue of apparent discrimination and unfair treatment at Downham Leisure Centre, which falls under your constituency.

Over the past few months, I have received three separate Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by MET Parking Services, the private operator managing the car park at the leisure centre. These notices were issued while I was legally parked in a designated disabled bay, with my Blue Badge clearly displayed on the dashboard.

However, due to the angled design of my dashboard, it appears that MET’s Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras or photographic evidence failed to pick up the badge’s visibility. Despite this being a known limitation of their system, I was issued PCNs on multiple occasions.

Here’s a brief overview of how these three cases have been handled:

First PCN: I appealed directly to MET Parking, explaining the situation. They acknowledged my appeal and cancelled the charge.
Second PCN: I submitted a similar appeal with the same reasoning and photographic evidence, but this time MET rejected it. I then appealed to POPLA, the independent appeals service. Despite the badge being displayed and the situation being identical, POPLA also rejected the appeal.
Third PCN: Yet again, the circumstances were identical. This time, POPLA upheld my appeal and the charge was cancelled.

This inconsistency is highly distressing and undermines confidence in the fairness and accessibility of the private parking enforcement and appeal systems. As someone with a disability, I find it difficult to navigate these complex and bureaucratic processes. The inconsistency in appeal outcomes—despite identical evidence—has caused unnecessary stress and a sense of injustice.

I have now received a debt collection letter from Debt Recovery Plus regarding the second PCN. This is not only inappropriate but, I believe, unlawful under the Equality Act 2010, which requires reasonable adjustments for disabled people accessing services. Penalising a Blue Badge holder because their badge was not captured on a camera—when it was in fact properly displayed—clearly fails to meet that standard.

I have also submitted a formal complaint to Downham Leisure Centre, requesting they instruct MET Parking to cancel the remaining charge. I am therefore writing to ask whether you would consider contacting the leisure centre on my behalf, or raising the matter with the relevant local authority or governing body responsible for the site. Your support would help not only my case, but potentially protect other disabled visitors from facing the same unfair treatment in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can offer. I am happy to provide any further details or documentation you might need.

Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address and Postcode]
[Your Email or Phone Number]
Constituent in [Your Borough/Ward Name]