Apcoa StaPOPLAnsted Airport Charge - do I appeal via POPLA?

JuliApe

Aaggh and double aaggh! If only I had been here before I first appealed a parking charge at Stansted Airport!

I was travelling with my parents. My son collected us from the express drop off/set down section. My father is 92 and disabled (and has a blue badge). My mother had developed a hip problem and was in a lot of pain.

As if this wasn’t enough, on our return journey, my car developed a fault and broke down. We were rescued by the RAC, who subsequently identified and fixed the fault some two weeks later (that’s another story!)

As I am sure you can imagine, this was a very stressful journey and as a consequence, paying the parking charge at Stansted Airport slipped my mind. This was a genuine error and when I remembered a few days later and telephoned Apcoa in good faith I was told I was too late to pay despite my very obvious mitigating circumstances, which I explained.

I subsequently received the parking notice, which I appealed, explaining the circumstances. I recall I said I was the keeper, not the driver. I sent accompanying evidence. However, I have now been notified that my appeal was unsuccessful.

Firstly, it is not even clear from the letter whether my appeal submission had been read! There is simply reference to the clear signage at the airport, which I acknowledge exists. However, I supplied evidence to support my appeal (blue badge and breakdown notice from RAC), but this has clearly not been taken into consideration.  

Is it worth my while appealing to POPLA or is it now a lost cause and I pay the £60? Wish I’d read this thread before appealing to Apcoa!

TIA

ChirpyChicken

Dont bother with popla and dont pay 
Ignore letters from debt recovery plus 

JuliApe

Really?! How does that work? The letters are menacing, but I know they're designed that way. 

James_Poisson

It's airport land as such covered by Byelaws some two bit parking operator is trying it on by issuing a parking charge under contract law which doesn't apply on not relevant land.

Ignore APCOA nothing will happen, you don't have a "debt" and DRP can only send scrap paper with red coloured ink on it nothing to worry about.

ChirpyChicken

JuliApe said:

Really?! How does that work? The letters are menacing, but I know they're designed that way. 

It works by you putting the letters from Debt Recovery Plus in the bin
now you have come here you will know the letters are harmless

JuliApe

Wow, thank you. Need to take a deep breath to do that, I'm usually very compliant!

ChirpyChicken

JuliApe said:

Wow, thank you. Need to take a deep breath to do that, I'm usually very compliant!

be fine dont worry

Coupon-mad

JuliApe said:

Wow, thank you. Need to take a deep breath to do that, I'm usually very compliant!

But - alternatively - you could do POPLA to kill it off, given you didn't admit to driving, you say?

JuliApe

No, I am pretty sure that I clicked the registered keeper button. Thanks for the help.

Coupon-mad

OK: do POPLA based on no keeper liability. You could also include a copy of the 92yr old's Blue Badge and passenger information (re the flight arrival) and mention that disabled person are - I think - exempt from the drop-off fee anyway.

And include YOUR passenger information which proves you (the keeper) cannot have been the driver of the car that day and in fact it was your son (do not name him but do make it clear you weren't driving).

I think APCOA will not contest it because the NTK is non-POFA and Airport land is not 'relevant land'.

DjangoUnchained

ive twice used the popla code they offered for non pofa compliant pcns at train stations and both times they withdrew from popla, i guess before they have to pay the fee?