Struggled to get Internet access when using app then received fine for not paying enough

V_Dog18

Hi. I'm new to this so please bear with me. 
So, I parked in a Euro Car Park in Portsmouth on 16th October. I entered the car park at 9.37am. I had my granddaughter with me. 
I went over to the pay point, and as usual nowadays, you can only pay online using the Just park app. I immediately tried to open the app to pay for a ticket, but for some reason I couldn't get Internet access. I kept trying, then eventually I got into the app. 
After putting in my car registration, then my payment card, it kept saying my card had expired. In fact the expiry date is 2029!!
I tried 5 times. Each time closing the app and rebooting it, and every time it said my card had expired. 
I only have one card, and clearly as the car park only accepts card and not cash, I was panicking, as I couldn't leave the car park without paying. 
Eventually, after the fifth attempt, my card was accepted. 
This was at 9.49, 12 minutes after I had entered the car park. 

So, now happy I had paid, I went shopping with my granddaughter. 

My expiry time for my parking was 11.49am. 
I returned to my car at 11.45am, thinking I would have plenty of time to leave. 
After getting my one year old granddaughter out of her pram, putting her into her car seat, securing her in properly, then struggling to fold down her pram and putting it and the shopping into the boot, I eventually managed to exit the car park at 11.53am, 4 minutes after my ticket had run out. 

I thought nothing of it until I received the fine a week later. 


I have appealed to Euro car parks and sent a screenshot of the purchase of the ticket, but they have rejected my appeal.

I am now concerned as I am not prepared to pay the £60 fine, as it was not my fault I couldn't get onto the app and then the app would not accept my card.

I am also concerned that if I now appeal to the independent appeals service POPLA, they will totally disregard my appeal, and side with Euro Car Parks, then I will have to pay £100 fine, which I cannot afford.


Can anyone please give me some advice as to whether or not I have a case to appeal, or if it is a waste of time. 

Thank you. 

Coupon-mad

Eh? You won't be paying £60 or £100.

Doesn't matter if you lose at POPLA. Give it a go with the full story of baby/pushchair, app failure and say there was insufficient consideration period under the circumstances.

So what if you lose, nobody pays.

Equally you could ignore ECP and only respond when DCB Legal send a claim form. Everyone wins at that stage.

Gr1pr

And ECP did not mention or issue a fine   ( magistrates issue fines but never in these private cases   )