PCN for parking that was paid for reg

eku1s

Keeper received a PCN in the post for an alleged unpaid parking fee. The system in use at the car park scans the reg plate using ANPR, then upon exit, a machine, prompts the driver to enter their reg which then produces the payment amount that is required. The payment was made before exiting the car park and can be seen on the driver’s bank statement, in line with the fee that is required for the duration of stay, as indicated on the entry and exit times shown on the PCN. 

The PCN received was claiming that the parking fee was unpaid, however as the fee was paid, it’s technically impossible for this situation to occur, unless by coincidence a reg for another vehicle currently in the car park was entered in error with the exact same fee due. Unless I’m missing something, there is clearly a glitch in their parking system. 

What’s the best way to approach this? I fear the parking cowboys won’t accept this as an appeal as technically the line on the bank statement isn’t hard evidence that it was paid (it could’ve been a payment for another car park for example) and doesn’t help that the payment came out of the account the next working day, so the dates won’t line up. 

I feel this will end up as a ‘your word against ours’ appeal, although I should add that this parking system is new to that particular car park and glitches are inevitable. 

emcwill

Presumably any your word against ours would fail in court because the onus is on the parking operator to prove a breach of contract?