PCN

Fruitcake · 5 August 2020 at 11:26PM

Other than confirm the identity of the landowner and complain to them if it isn't Excel, and complain to your MP about this unregulated scam, and complain to EH that the scammers are sullying the name of EH by issuing scamvoices, there is little you can do but wait for a court claim.
Get current pics of the site and signage.
If that happens come back to this thread. We have a very good win rate against scammers as long as the advice here is followed.

Please come back to this forum in a week or two when we hope the new mandatory parking code of practice will be available for public consultation.
We need as many people as possible to comment on it.

Have a look in the NEWBIES thread about the comments made by MPs across all parties concerning these scammers.

Never ever pull in to a private car park if you are having car trouble, need to make a 'phone call, change a nappy, need a pee, load or unload (people or goods). Instead, stop on single or double yellow lines as long as there are no loading bars/curb blips.
Parking on yellow lines has been decriminalised, and even if you got a council or police ticket, it would be a lot cheaper than a scamvoice.

Never ever reveal the driver's identity unless advised by this forum to do so.

Trudy1970 · 5 August 2020 at 11:29PM

Excel submitted planning permission and signage consent and was granted for DN12 3BX - the area marked out on that submission is the lower car park adjacent to the memorial just before you go onto Low Road.
The signage in that lower car park is marked clearly with DN12 3BX
The PCN is site location is sited as DN12 3HH and the mapped area they have submitted as the car park they refer to is the same as the one they obtained planning for- The only reference to DN12 3HH is submitted on their mapped area and the PCN. There cannot be two postcodes for the same area. Which made me thinkt hey were using their mapped area to link the DN12 3HH postcode. Which in turn I would have thought would make the PCN unlawful. Because the address doesnt fit the charge nor does it match the land they have alledged they own.

Trudy1970 · 5 August 2020 at 11:36PM

Hiya Fruitcake - the doc you refer to was the first port of call - unfortunately after the fact driver identiied - fell into the trap that to appeal you needed to identify the driver.
I have eight days to reply or send to adjudicator- At the moment its ping pong submitting repsonse to operator and receiving there tiresome replies that the appelant is liable for the charge. I was trying to put it to bed with the postcode issue, I'll try the MP route but that will take more than eight days to get a response. I've quoted Sir Knight in an evidence doc I uploaded which they have ignored.

Trudy1970 · 5 August 2020 at 11:38PM

I'll have a go at whats been said so far.
I think EH have distanced themselves from Excel parking as there has been plenty of other complaints about the facilty to purchase a ticket not working.
I have left a message with IPC to contact, but will be following up in writing to complain against Excel of code of conduct and behaviours
Thanks for all the help so far guys.. I'll draft a response to keep the momentum but at any point Excel can refer it to the adjudicator for final decision . I know it won't be me that sends it their first.
As regards the land owner the council sold the land in error and couldnt get it back, something about the boundary lines being wrong on the deeds- it could well be that the person that bought the land did sell it on for profit. But I will endeavour to find out more.
Please please please keep the advice coming.

MistyZ · 6 August 2020 at 5:43AM

This is what English Heritage say about parking at Conisburgh Castle as per my link:
'PARKING
We recommend that you use Calvert Way for parking which is opposite the private car park at the bottom of Castle Hill. Alternatively use the street parking in the village and help sustain our community by also using the local amenities. There are also a few accessible spaces outside the visitor centre.'

Is the one the car was parked in 'the private car park' they refer to? If so, it doesn't exactly have EH's endorsement! As Fruitcake says, EH may be able to help clarify who owns it. I think you should contact them ASAP.

If Excel do indeed own it as they claim, it seems obvious that they bought it as a nice little trap. Looks like visitors to the Castle blast it to hell on TripAdvisor for all the reasons you mention i.e. paying is difficult to put it mildly.

I don't think you should be stressing about this. Don't get stuck on the planning consent angle, I suspect that frustration of contract would feature much more strongly if this goes to court. More experienced regulars will know more about that.

And get your son involved. As is often suggested here, fighting a PPC is an education in itself!

Step one for now: clarify the landowner situation. Excel may be ... um ... a little confused about that.

Coupon-mad · 6 August 2020 at 10:50PM

A new tactic on a thread today - report Excel or VCS to UKAS (read about their accreditation and dob them in to UKAS if you feel they have breached it).

Trudy1970 · 7 August 2020 at 8:03AM

Can't get to it at the minute.. Will try to find it when back on pc..Thank you

Fruitcake · 7 August 2020 at 9:14AM

If EH do not own the scampark, but the scammer's refer to the place as being affiliated with either the castle or EH, then ask EH to instruct the scammer's to remove any information from their signs or website about "their" (EH's) property.
(I hope that makes sense).

If there is any mention or suggestion on the scampark signs that they are acting as an agent for EH, then EH should be complaining about this misleading information.

Castle · 7 August 2020 at 9:46AM

MistyZ said:

This is what English Heritage say about parking at Conisburgh Castle as per my link:
'PARKING
We recommend that you use Calvert Way for parking which is opposite the private car park at the bottom of Castle Hill. Alternatively use the street parking in the village and help sustain our community by also using the local amenities. There are also a few accessible spaces outside the visitor centre.'
Is the one the car was parked in 'the private car park' they refer to? If so, it doesn't exactly have EH's endorsement! As Fruitcake says, EH may be able to help clarify who owns it. I think you should contact them ASAP.
If Excel do indeed own it as they claim, it seems obvious that they bought it as a nice little trap. Looks like visitors to the Castle blast it to hell on TripAdvisor for all the reasons you mention i.e. paying is difficult to put it mildly.

Based on their "newsletter", they bought it off the Council in summer 2019 claiming; "The car park was abused by flying tippers and had become severely overgrown and run down", although the April 2019 GSV shows the car park to be in a very decent state.

http://excelparkingservices.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2019-Newsletter-v3-SMALL-1.pdf

MistyZ · 7 August 2020 at 3:04PM

It's a respectful car park. What the heck is a respectful car park? And it has had compliments from local people and the general public. Though not from EH who imply that it should be avoided like the plague.

OMG it's horrible to think of Excel owning a car park. Oh well OP, onwards and upwards! I hope you're not done yet. Go get 'em. Or rather your son should, with your support.

PCN

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