Parking in Tesco Extra Stevenage

babylou250207

I went to collect my wife from Stevenage Station a couple of weeks ago but arrived about 10 minutes early and she had also been told that there were delays towards the end of her trip. There is only a very small car park there and it was rammed so I drove out and noticed a Tesco on the other side of the dual carriageway so I driven up to the next roundabout and back and pulled in there with the intention of picking up a few bits to cover the ‘minimum purchase’ fee. However, this was just coming up to 6.30pm on a Sunday and I noticed the store was closed, which explains why there was only a handful of cars in the whole car park. As the only machines to validate my parking were inside the store I assumed I’d be ok to park. But I have received a ticket through the post today. It is saying it was issued on the 15th but has arrived on the 27th..! Surely if there is nowhere to validate a ticket how can they still charge a penalty fee…?

Gr1pr

Parking Charge invoice, not a Penalty

Post pictures of the signage on that Tesco site and redacted pictures of the front and back of the NTK PCN letter

I would assume that they have a low or zero offer about being on site out of opening hours, so by overstaying their minimum period you incurred a pcn due to remaining on that private property in breach of the signage

Coupon-mad

You don't have a penalty but - please, in future - stop looking for car parks when picking someone up. Never, ever seek out a car park to stop for a passenger/short wait, especially never on a Sunday!

I am astonished that drivers look for car parks on Sundays (at all) in any town. Even in major cities and London boroughs, it's free almost anywhere on street on Sundays.

I know you were on a dual carriageway but this (exempt activity) is what side roads and double yellows are there to enable. And on Sundays, all single yellow lines and most on-street public highway permit bays are completely free of restrictions.

Now you will be hounded and probably sued. Not that you'll pay of course because parking claims are a cinch to defend.

Read post 4 then post 2 of the NEWBIES thread. Ignore the £170 threatograms. You won't be paying.

Do nothing except 'Plan A' that you read about when you read NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST before you posted.

There's no workable independent appeal (unless the NTK is non-POFA worded, which you can easily check for yourself against my 'NTK pictures' thread) and I doubt Tesco will cancel it but give that complaint a go.