ANPR Legoland Windsor

mezmerise1

Dear Forum,

A family member borrowed my car to go to Legoland Windsor today. At 6pm they were in the car with their 8 year old. At 7.45pm they were still in the car park in a stationary queue. They were charging every single car on the way out for parking.

So this family member finally reached breaking point as her ADHD son was melting down, and drove down the empty other lane, past the barrier and out to freedom.

Questions:

1. How can this possibly be legal? Hundreds upon hundreds of cars carrying hungry and tired children taking two hours plus to escape the car park - this just isn’t on. Someone having a medical emergency would be stuffed.

2. As I’m the registered keeper and am now expecting a letter demanding a fine, how best to play this? I can prove I was in work at the time and so maybe just refuse to say who was driving? Or is it one of those circumstances where you just ignore the threats?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

thegreenone

Did they pre-pay for parking? APNR is used.

Gr1pr

Plan A seems a good idea to me, in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum

Half_way

If this is like any other Merlin park ive been to there is no ANPR, payment for parking is checked on exit, you either pre pay and have a QR code, or you pay on exit.

If you got out without paying then you have in effect a free exit, there should be no need for a plan "A"

If you get any letters in the post, then you will need to do something.

But for now check that your V5c (logbook) has the correct address on it.

Woodstok2000

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82079271#Comment_82079271

Legoland does have ANPR, but the website only says its used to check your prepaid parking and let you out automatically. Not clear if it would also catch any cars which bypassed the barriers completely.

fwor

I'm going to go suggest that this is probably one of those situations where the best solution is for your relative to contact Legoland Windsor tomorrow and explain what happened, and offer to pay for the parking.

It's not completely clear if your relative pre-paid for parking but, if they were in the queue, it seems reasonable to assume not. So they knew when they entered the car park that they would be due to pay for parking?

So it seems only reasonable that they offer to pay what is due, before any threats arrive in the post? In the circumstances, Legoland will probably take the view that it's in their interests to be as accommodating as possible.

QrizB

FWIW I've been to Legoland Windsor a couple of times and there's always been a huge queue to exit the car park at closing time. You should go prepared for a significant wait, or alternatively leave early to beat the rush!

mr_stripey

How can this possibly be legal? Hundreds upon hundreds of cars carrying hungry and tired children taking two hours plus to escape the car park - this just isn’t on. Someone having a medical emergency would be stuffed

of course it's legal! Queues can happen everywhere. It's the peak of the school holidays, the weather is good. Obviously Legoland is going to be rammed, and everyone heading home at the same time is going to create delays on exit.

If someone is having a "medical emergency" then they would call 999