Incorrectly issued parking charge - length of stay incorrect

spooner

Avonmeads retail park, Bristol

A keeper of a vehicle has received a "Parking charge" letter issued by VARS Technology Ltd for overstaying the 90 minute limit for parking. However, the driver has dashcam footage showing that this was not the case.

Essentially, the driver entered the car park, stayed for about 45 minutes and then left.

The driver returned about 5 hours later the same day, stayed for about 20 minutes and left.

They have done this many, many times over at least the last 12 months.

The VARS letter shows an image of the car at the first entry time and of the final exit time. For some reason, the other entry and exit has not been recorded.

What's the best way to approach the appeal? Appeals have to be submitted to VARS by post. Would printed screenshots of the dashcam video be sufficient? SD card or DVD of the video?

Date of notice is 28th May 2026. Appeals within 28 days.

Coupon-mad

Yes search the forum for double dip ANPR

Copy a double dip appeal. Dead easy, attach evidence and tell them to 'do one'.

spooner

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82017032#Comment_82017032

Thanks.

Although I think this is an open and shut case due to the dash cam footage, I noticed something else:

At the entry point, there's a sign announcing the 90 minute limit and that it is private land. But the ANPR camera is mounted on the same pole as the sign and is pointing away from the private land. Images being captured simply show a vehicle outside of the demarcated private land. Even worse, the camera view is trained on both adopted highway and, purportedly, private land.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/m2ovmQgNacsGs9WTA

I've obtained a plan of the adopted highway from the council and indeed it shows that the road leading to the private land is public. And it looks like the vehicle in question may have been on adopted highway rather than private land at the time of image capture.

I wasn't sure whether this information should be included in an appeal. After all, it might be wrong and, in some ways, is irrelevant to the issue of time recording and may just muddy the waters.

But I'd be interested to know whether the positions of the ANPR camera and "private land" sign show something fundamentally wrong with their setup.

spooner

Forgot to add that the link to Google Street View shows the approach to the ANPR camera and the "private land" sign on the same pole.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/m2ovmQgNacsGs9WTA

Note that only Streetview imagery from 2025 shows the ANPR etc.

Coupon-mad

"I'd be interested to know whether the positions of the ANPR camera and "private land" sign show something fundamentally wrong with their setup."

Yes you have a point there. They cannot film vehicles on the public highway.

James_Poisson

That's a bit covert isn't it!

Bettie

There has never been a parking limit or charges at Avonmeads main car park before... The street view above points to KFC parking from the Albert Road entrance. I would like to know where the 90 minutes starts and ends as I drive out that way and I've not seen a sign. Maybe it's something new.

I recall a few months back that entrance was closed for a while. I was cursing as it can be hard getting out of the other entrance sometimes, with long queues

spooner

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82017805#Comment_82017805

It's only the area of parking that serves KFC and the recently built Starbucks. As you pass Starbucks on your right there's a second camera on your left recording vehicles leaving this 90 minute area and heading into the main car park.

You can of course make the journey in the opposite direction. There's a sign on the right hand side of you but it's rather innocuous.

What I didn't explain earlier is that the driver involved didn't even stop in the 90 minute zone! They simply passed through to access the main car park which, as you point out, has no limit on parking.

Bettie

I think I will avoid the area for now. Bad enough with the EBLN making that whole area full of traffic.