PCN Issued While Queuing to Exit Gridlocked Car Park

UpDownStrange

Hi all,

I’m looking for advice on how best to handle a parking charge notice I’ve received from Premier Park (pics of letter attached).

I overstayed the permitted parking time by 16 minutes, but this only occurred because the car park was completely gridlocked. I returned to my car in good time and spent well over an hour sitting in the vehicle attempting to leave, barely moving due to congestion throughout the whole car park.

I was not parked or shopping, I was actively trying to exit the car park the entire time, long before my 3 hour limit was up. However, a good chunk of time I was sat in the car in my parking spot because the congestion was so bad that I could not even exit the spot for a long time.

I have a short video recorded at the time showing the gridlock and lack of movement, as I was concerned I might be penalised despite having no way to leave sooner.

The PCN appears to be based solely on ANPR entry/exit times.

I’d really appreciate guidance on:

• Whether I should appeal or ignore
• How best to frame the appeal
• Whether the video evidence should be mentioned or submitted

Do I have an appeal case based on for instance:

• No actual parking took place during the overstay
• ANPR misuse (exit time ≠ parking time)
• Frustration of contract / impossibility to comply

Thanks in advance for any help.

Le_Kirk

Have you read the NEWBIE sticky, have you tried Plan A?

Gr1pr

Plan  in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum , which you never mentioned 

Complain in writing to the retail park management company at  Purley Cross Retail Park,   ASAP

try that before you appeal as keeper,  plan B

Similar problems happened recently at the Trafford centre,  widely reported in the news, so check your local news for Similar articles,  as part of the proof

prowla

This one crops up from time-to-time.

Being prevented from exiting is a force majeure which prevents you from fulfilling your part of the (alleged) contract.

Being in the driving lanes is not being parked.

But anyway, jump through the hoops and follow the given process.

You'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that they've wasted their money getting your details and sending you the demand.

(Remember not to identify the driver in communications to the parking scammer.)

UpDownStrange

Thanks all for the responses. It looks like info[at]greenpartners.co.uk is my best bet at reaching the landowner.

Would the below be an appropriate email to send? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you as the landowner / managing agent for Purley Cross Retail Park to formally complain about a parking charge notice that has been issued to me and to request that it is cancelled.

PCN number: xxxxx
Date of incident: 21/12/2025
Date of issue: 06/01/2026
Location: Purley Cross Retail Park
ANPR entry time: 14:09
ANPR exit time: 17:25
Total duration recorded: 3 hours 16 minutes

The alleged overstay of 16 minutes occurred solely because the car park was completely gridlocked. The driver returned to the vehicle in good time and then spent well over an hour sitting in the car actively attempting to leave, with traffic barely moving due to severe congestion throughout the car park.

At no point was the vehicle parked beyond the permitted period for the purpose of shopping or remaining on site. The delay was entirely outside the driver's control and unavoidable. The charge has been issued purely on the basis of ANPR entry/exit timestamps, which do not reflect the reality of the situation or the fact that the driver was trapped in stationary traffic while trying to exit.

Video evidence recorded at the time showing the gridlock and lack of movement is available, which I am happy to provide if required.

This charge is unreasonable and unfair, and it reflects poorly on the management of the retail park, particularly as customers are penalised for congestion conditions that they have no ability to influence. I therefore ask that you instruct your parking contractor to cancel this PCN immediately.

I trust this matter can be resolved promptly. I would appreciate written confirmation once the charge has been cancelled.

Coupon-mad

No. Attach your video evidence and cut the complaint to half as long.

UpDownStrange

Their response: "Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with us. You will to speak to the company who issued you the ticket."
Onto plan B guess?

Jame4ters

There was a case here a few weeks ago about a car park in Leeds where they got a “ticket” due to traffic after a concert at the Arena. There was a link to an excellent response that could be sent

Umkomaas

If your appeal to the PPC fails you can win this at POPLA on at least two counts. The NtK is too late (more than 14 days) to hold the keeper liable, nor does it attempt to invoke liability on the keeper. The ‘look-alike’ PoFA warning states they will be pursuing the driver. As long as you do not indicate who the driver was (be careful with any wording in correspondence with them), you should get this cancelled at the POPLA stage. 

Coupon-mad

UpDownStrange said:

Their response: "Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with us. You will to speak to the company who issued you the ticket."
Onto plan B guess?

You guess wrong. They are lying.

This has everything to do with the retail park and you simply escalate the complaint more forcefully. Copy other examples. Do NOT say who was driving in your complaint.

If it still fails, the keeper easily wins at POPLA but exhaust this avenue first. A curt reply from a random employee has not exhausted the complaint!

Personally I would say you are sending your video evidence to the local paper if the retail park can't be bothered to intervene for wronged customers.

Again DO NOT IMPLY THE DRIVER.

Car1980

Bear in mind that it is a parking charge, but you were not parked. You contractually hire the parking space, not the usage of the land to get to and from (not withstanding other probably unenforceable contractual terms that are sometimes incorporated e.g. you have 20 minutes to exit).

You were not hiring the space, so you cannot have exceeded the period for which you paid for (or were offered for free - in which case the purpose of the contract would be for you to vacate to enable somebody else to use the space).

At the end of the day, the parking company has the option to install ANPR on individual spaces, or beacons in the tarmac that can detect a the reduction of light due to a parked vehicle. If they choose a method of only monitoring entrance and exit points, then it's down to them if they are issuing unenforceable invoices. But then idiots pay them, so it's a win from their point of view.