Preparing a defence at county court

innocentparker

History

August 2024, I parked my car at the rear of a pub/shopping centre while I met a pal, all of 21 minutes. 

90% of the car park is owned by the pub but the remainder is controlled by Parkmaven. 

Parkmaven signage allows 45mins free parking but any longer then you need to scan the QR code and input your reg. There is no payment required. 
An ANPR camera takes images of every car entering and leaving the car park. 

There’s no cctv that determines whether you parked in the controlled area or not.

I received a notice claiming I had parked for 24hrs and 21 minutes. It was clear to me that the ANPR camera was faulty and had added 24hrs to the parking session. 

I spoke with the pub landlord who explained that a countless number of his customers had been issued fines incorrectly along with shoppers etc on a regular basis. I also discovered the local community FB group were up in arms about the parking issue and that the local MP was working with the community to cancel tickets issued incorrectly due to the faulty ANPR camera. 

I followed incorrect and bad advice and didn’t appeal the PCN in the time allowed. 

I’ve recently contacted My MP who has informed me that the land owners accepted that the camera was faulty and they had deactivated the camera in June this year until they’re confident it’s rectified.

My MP has since wrote to Parkmaven to request my PCN be cancelled highlighting the above as my defence, however Parkmaven will not cancel the PCN. 

The matter has escalated and I had a mediation phone call this week from the county court.  Parkmaven asked for £200. I stated I wasn’t prepared to pay as I had documentation to confirm that the ANPR camera is in-fact faulty. 

. Currently my defence hangs on the fact that the ANPR camera owners (LCP) have accepted via email to my MP that the camera has been faulty (albeit several months after my PCN) 

. I live 200m away from the parking area therefore it’s unlikely I would park my car there rather than on my driveway. (week argument but true) 
. Countless other residents (probably 50-100) have also been issued PCNs due to the faulty camera. This is what I’ve read on the local community FB group. Is it even worth exploring this as further defence to back up my evidence.? 

. I can’t prove that I wasnt parked there for that amount of time but hopefully I can prove that the camera is faulty. 

Any advice appreciated. 

Gr1pr

It is up to Parkmaven and DCB Legal to prove their case,  you dont have to prove anything at all 

Gather your evidence including exhibits for the time when your Witness Statement bundle is due, which your local civil court will give you in writing when they post a court order to you and to dcb legal 

innocentparker

Gr1pr said:

It is up to Parkmaven and DCB Legal to prove their case,  you dont have to prove anything at all 

Gather your evidence including exhibits for the time when your Witness Statement bundle is due, which your local civil court will give you in writing when they post a court order to you and to dcb legal 

They will have images of my car entering and leaving the car park which is all the evidence they require as far as I’m aware. 

I need evidence to counter their claim. 

ChirpyChicken

Evidence is not required at this stage 

Gr1pr

When it is needed, your evidence and statement is a lot more than their 2 tainted pictures 

But not needed until the court orders it, so needed in several months time 

Coupon-mad

Wow!

innocentparker said:

History

August 2024, I parked my car at the rear of a pub/shopping centre while I met a pal, all of 21 minutes. 

90% of the car park is owned by the pub but the remainder is controlled by Parkmaven. 

Parkmaven signage allows 45mins free parking but any longer then you need to scan the QR code and input your reg. There is no payment required. 
An ANPR camera takes images of every car entering and leaving the car park. 

There’s no cctv that determines whether you parked in the controlled area or not.

I received a notice claiming I had parked for 24hrs and 21 minutes. It was clear to me that the ANPR camera was faulty and had added 24hrs to the parking session. 

I spoke with the pub landlord who explained that a countless number of his customers had been issued fines incorrectly along with shoppers etc on a regular basis. I also discovered the local community FB group were up in arms about the parking issue and that the local MP was working with the community to cancel tickets issued incorrectly due to the faulty ANPR camera. 

I followed incorrect and bad advice and didn’t appeal the PCN in the time allowed. 

I’ve recently contacted My MP who has informed me that the land owners accepted that the camera was faulty and they had deactivated the camera in June this year until they’re confident it’s rectified.

My MP has since wrote to Parkmaven to request my PCN be cancelled highlighting the above as my defence, however Parkmaven will not cancel the PCN. 

The matter has escalated and I had a mediation phone call this week from the county court.  Parkmaven asked for £200. I stated I wasn’t prepared to pay as I had documentation to confirm that the ANPR camera is in-fact faulty. 

. Currently my defence hangs on the fact that the ANPR camera owners (LCP) have accepted via email to my MP that the camera has been faulty (albeit several months after my PCN) 

. I live 200m away from the parking area therefore it’s unlikely I would park my car there rather than on my driveway. (week argument but true) 
. Countless other residents (probably 50-100) have also been issued PCNs due to the faulty camera. This is what I’ve read on the local community FB group. Is it even worth exploring this as further defence to back up my evidence.? 

. I can’t prove that I wasnt parked there for that amount of time but hopefully I can prove that the camera is faulty. 

Any advice appreciated. 

Just wow! You should have counterclaimed for a few hundred. What a shame you didn't!

DCB Legal will string you along then they'll cancel by discontinuing. Hence why you should have done a counterclaim to force the case to a hearing and make some money.

No matter. It'll be discontinued anyway.

Please show ALL this evidence to the MHCLG as part if the Public Consultation, including the fact that they've sued you despite the ANPR fault evidence and your MP's intervention.

Is this place in any news articles? Show us.

And this month, we need you:

PLEASE bookmark this thread below and do the government's Public Consultation if you haven't done it yet. Their proposals are wrong. We must stop them.

See this thread: -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6617396/parking-code-of-practice-consultation-8-weeks-from-11th-july-2025/p1

We need every poster to come back & complete this vital Consultation before the deadline! Just 2 weeks left but please don't rush it. You can do some then save it and come back to it as you have time.

We understand that you may need some pointers. It looks laborious, we get that.

So to try to help, I've written some guidance on that thread.

Any questions on the Consultation please ask - on the dedicated thread - but I've covered up to question 20 already in that first post, openly telling everyone what I'm going to put and/or what sort of evidence you might wish to use for your response, if you agree with what we'll be saying from our experience.

Whilst your answers must of course be your own, there are vital points to safeguard motorists interests to make, that many people may not think of without our guidance because we see cases every day and we know the legal background. 

However, people like you have lived & breathed the intimidation, greed and unfairness first hand so your voice is needed!