Horam Service Station Parking Fine Help Needed

icecoldbrew

Hi there, I have read a good few threads, I am totally lost. Everytime I think I make sense of the situation I get confused further. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed and to be honest I struggle with reading walls of text and trying to make sense of many terms I don't understand.

I got issued a parking fine from what I believe is a private property/company but I am not sure.

It's been a while since I visited the site and accused violation (18th May 2026).

I am getting threatening mail from this company.

The first thing I did was appeal to it because I don't believe I did stay there over the 30 minutes they said. The last image of my car parked is within their time limit, with the final image they show of me driving away, not actually parked but I read online that even being on the site can be considered breach.

I made all these points in my appeal but it was rejected.

I have tried calling them 10+ times but I get an error about their number "having reached capacity" then it hanging up, so been unable to get a response.

I spoke to a friend about this and he told me not to pay it and to refer to this website. I have since read lots of threads and only confusing myself further to the point I feel sick. I didn't want to post a thread here but I think because I am over a certain time period I messed up and I don't know what to do?

Any advice is welcome. Part of me wants to pay it as I find it extremely stressful and I just want the harassment over. I also don't want to pay it because I genuinely feel like I have been tricked by their elusive signage and that I didn't think I was even parked for their limit. Also if we go by their rules I was only 28 seconds over.

I have attached images of the first and last photos of me parked there and the letters they sent me with all sensitive data redacted.

I can share what I said in my appeal but it is a bit embarrassing as I indirectly admitted I was driving but hopefully you don't need to see that.

Please help.

Thank you.

Their accused time I was still parking till (despite clearly leaving)

The Start of my parking:

The last photo they have of me actually parked here:

The photos they have (states "Parked" not "on site").

The last letter showing From / To: but then referencing photos with different timestamps! the To photo if you read the timestamp is using one from 17:50:21 which is under the parking limit.

My view of the parking sign up close to see what the terms are.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my post and I wish you a pleasant day.

yarpsnehpets

Yes - the times on the notice do not line up with the timestamps on the photos.

Also, were you a genuine client of the site? ie where you using their various services?

This behaviour (by the operator) is highlighted in the recent open letter from the CMA.

In this instance it is demonstrable that they have manipulated the evidence in order to claim that you were parked for over 30 mins when the last timestamp actually shows you leaving the site - even with their totally underhand behaviour they can only allege a 28 second over stay and that is not actually 'parking' it is an ANPR 'time on site' calculation.

This is a perfect case to submit to the CMA.

Coupon-mad

I totally agree.

This is arguably fraudulent and certainly misleading and not in good faith. That's a false representation of that photograph.

Firstly:

• read the news last week about the CMA investigating a similarly named firm, Euro Car Parks, and
• read the Open Letter they sent to the whole industry, so you know the sort of phrases to use about lack of good faith, etc., then
• email your evidence to the CMA but make it clear it is not about ECP but about an IPC member, Euro Parking Services but the deception is so heinous, with zero consideration/grace period, covert CCTV with no warning signs about how the time will be calculated or how the data will be used (ICO laws breach) and a falsified photo to mislead the recipient, you think the CMA must open an investigation into Euro Parking Services too:

CMA Contact emails (use both, the first one goes directly to their parking investigation) :

parking@cma.gov.uk

general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk 

icecoldbrew

Thanks @Coupon-mad and @yarpsnehpets for your comments.

In regards to your questions:

1. I did use the site to stop to buy stuff from the station. I stayed longer than a typical visit as I was on a phone call. I am a genuine client as I buy fuel and food from them regularly. Never knew there was a parking restriction there.
2. Your comment "email your evidence to the CMA but make it clear it is not about ECP but about an IPC member". I don't actually know what the CMA is, nor what ECP is, or IPC. I have a hard time understanding these terms/concepts.

I will send an email linking to this thread then as I have all the evidence needed to explain the case on this thread and if they wish to expand on the case further I would be happy to help where I can.

After sending an email to CMA. Is there anything else I need to do in regards to this case? Any other emails or things I need to consider?

Thank you again for your time.

Update: Email sent to CMA

kryten3000

EPS are relying on there being a 0 minute grace period at locations where the maximum parking duration is under 1 hour. It used to be a requirement of the (IPC) code that signs should inform motorists that the grace period is not applicable at the location but that seems to have been removed. Bar Stewards.

I have always said that the grace period should always apply at every location and that the maximum stay should be reduced by 10 minutes on signage, in this case 20 minutes maximum stay.

yarpsnehpets

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82081262#Comment_82081262

It's a good point.

The issue I have is that sites like these can be quite diverse. In this case it looks like they have washing machines etc as well as road fuel / convenience store / gas bottles blah blah blah. This encourages overstaying.

Coupon-mad

The washing machine shed thing is hiding the single TPS sign, which is neither lit, nor under ambient lighting from the garage … and it is set back, part hidden by foliage. As per your pictures.

As you reversed in you had no fair chance to see this:

In 2024, this place had a very large blue sign offering customer parking but you can see there are no lights that side:

There is also (am I right?) no 'P' entrance sign per the Code of Practice, telling you that EPS are monitoring the site or what the rules are.

And no 'new restrictions' extra warning signs per the Code of Practice, which have to be in place for at least 4 months. The sign looks spanking new so it looks like a new trap in 2026.

And no GDPR data use warning sign (illegal omission).

And no warning about the hidden CCTV, which is also unlawful - per ICO camera surveillance guidance.

And as kryten3000 says, nothing to tell you 'no grace period' (not that a zero consideration or grace period is ever fair).