Parking Charge Notice for Failure To Display Blue Badge - Help?

CaptainGuzzleguts

Hi everyone. As the title says, my elderly father received a letter through the post today from Premier Park stating the following:

We have issued Parking Charge [REDACTED] to your vehicle because on the 5th August 2026 at 15:22 it was parked on private land in breach of the terms and conditions of parking at Roaring Meg South Retail Park, Monkswood Way, Stevenage, SG1 1XN, making the driver liable for the Parking Charge. As the PCN has not been paid in full, the Parking Charge remains outstanding.

The period of parking to which this notice relates is the period immediately preceding the incident time stated above. The reason we issued the Parking Charge to the vehicle is as follows: Parking in Disabled Bay without clearly displaying a Valid Disabled Badge. The signage, which is clearly displayed throughout the area, states the land is private and that parking conditions apply. By parking on site the driver is bound by these terms and conditions and liable to pay a charge if they are not adhered to. The signage also confirms that the area is managed by Premier Park.

Now, I've looked at the photos and he did indeed forget to display the badges (which he has and are valid, i.e. in date), however we know that he was in quite a bit of pain that day and also had other issues he was dealing with, all of which is known to make him forgetful for things like this. We don't contest that he forgot to put them on display, but there was a genuine reason for why he forgot to display them.

I don't know much about parking law etc… but I was hoping that some of you fine people might be able to give advice on whether we should challenge this (it's £60 for the next 7 days, as it arrived almost a week after they issued it) or if we should simply pay the blasted thing. Personally, I feel this is a grossly exaggerated amount of money, given that it's free to park there anyway. The full amount is £100, going up to £170 if not paid within 28 days.

Could anyone give any advice on next steps etc please? I would really, really appreciate it!

Woodstok2000

Do Not Pay. Study the Newbies thread and follow plan A (appeal to the landowner to cancel the PCN).

Gr1pr

It never goes above the default pcn charge, of £100

It does receive a 40% early settlement reduction to the £60

Its never the £170 they try to claim

Ideally, the Registered keeper follows plan A in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum and complains strongly to the managing agents for Roaring Meg, requiring a cancellation under the Equality Act 2010 and provides a redacted picture of the blue badge as proof of reasonable adjustment

Ps, DO NOT PAY A PENNY

AI Overview

The managing and asset operator for Roaring Meg Retail Park (rebranded and operated under the 9Yards portfolio) is Stevenage Retail Ltd

Management Contact Details

• Operating Platform: 9Yards
• Phone: +44 (0)20 3862 7901
• Email: info@9-yards.co.uk
• Website: 9Yards Stevenage

CaptainGuzzleguts

Thank you both, Gr1pr & Woodstok2000, for your replies. Having read through the information you suggested, I've sent an email to the landowner and am now awaiting a response. I'll do my best to come back and confirm whether they've cancelled the charge. Thanks again!

Car1980

Bear in mind there is little Premier Park can do. Even if they did eventually make a court claim, and you father didn't respond due to his condition, I'm guessing a CCJ wouldn't affect his life in any meaningful way. No bailiffs would turn up for such a piddling amount - it needs to be over £600 for it to make their while.

Also be aware that someone else can nominate themeselves as the driver at any time until a court claim is issued (if one ever is). So if the retail park doesn't help, you or someone else could take it off your father's hands.

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100742#Comment_82100742

Yes but the keeper must also appeal it with the Blue Badge attached as evidence, because they have to offer a £20 settlement.

NOT that I'm suggesting for one minute that a disabled person has to pay £20 for using an accessible bay because that's illegal. IMHO it breaches the Equality Act to charge a disabled person for a 'reasonable adjustment' and all these should be flat out cancelled.

If 'wardens' (and I use the word loosely when it comes to private land) were doing a fair job instead of lurking and waiting to just issue as many PCNs as possible for an incentive payment, they'd see the driver park and should consider: "maybe that slower moving person could be disabled"…

…and simply remind them with a smile to display their Blue Badge and have a nice day, thus mitigating any loss and doing a proper job of protecting the bays.

But that will NEVER happen all the time retail car parks are 'run' by a rogue third party greedy sector (using an MO like a protection racket) where the parking firms persuade the retailers/landowners to let them film all driving patrons and staff on site.

Of course, the landowners lap it up because it's 'free' with the extra carrot of 'rich data & new technology with reports about footfall'.

Very few landowners realise that operations like this (and unnecessarily tight 'free parking' time limits which are heavily influenced by the parking firm's data about average time on site) actually target vulnerable, elderly or disabled shoppers.