Hemel Sportspace parking fine

zenith23 · 25 July 2013 at 10:13AM

Just received a parking fine for using the Hemel Hempstead Sportspace car park when going swimming with my daughter. i was unaware of the new scheme it's not very well notified, I've a small boisterious 6 year old who I was concentrating on and not any notices and the staff don't seem to take it upon themselves to remind their customers.
I've read these are not really fines but invoices and not enforceable. is it a case of just bining it and ignoring them. the company is Creative Parking Solutions.

bazster · 25 July 2013 at 10:49AM

What was your "crime"? Did you get the loo paper in the post or stuck to your car? We can help you appeal this, but we need some questions answered first.

I believe this is what used to be the municipal swimming pool! "Sportspace" my @rse, I wonder how much some idiot marketing consultant was paid to come up with that? Anyway, have a moan at the management, and also moan at your councillor because although Dacorum council may no longer operate the facility, it sure as hell still owns it. Find out whether the centre operator's agreement with the council allows them to do this. Unlike most situations we have here the council should cough up lots of information about who is contracted for what, and if they will not play ball then FOI and you councillor are your friends.

zenith23 · 25 July 2013 at 11:44AM

bazster wrote: »

What was your "crime"? Did you get the loo paper in the post or stuck to your car? We can help you appeal this, but we need some questions answered first.

I believe this is what used to be the municipal swimming pool! "Sportspace" my @rse, I wonder how much some idiot marketing consultant was paid to come up with that? Anyway, have a moan at the management, and also moan at your councillor because although Dacorum council may no longer operate the facility, it sure as hell still owns it. Find out whether the centre operator's agreement with the council allows them to do this. Unlike most situations we have here the council should cough up lots of information about who is contracted for what, and if they will not play ball then FOI and you councillor are your friends.

It came in the post this morning there was nothing on the car.

On xx/xx/xxxx the above vehicle which was parked at:

Address: CAR PARK AT xxxx xxxx, xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx, xxx xxx

From: xx:xx:xx To: xx:xx:xx

we therefore require payment of this Parking Charge Notice, in accordance with the Parking Terms

and conditions clearly stated on the signage:

Maximum 3 hours parking for authorised users only.

the rest is verbiage about the amount to pay and civil enforcement or debt recovery agency.

I'm pretty certain there is no notification in the overflow carpark where I parked and i was too busy to keep my wild child (with hearing impairment) in check to notice anything else any way, there is also no notification on the sport centre's website that I can see. also the car park is off Heath Lane not Park Road.

I have sent an email to the centre telling them what I think of the new parking set up, doubt I'll hear back.

bazster · 25 July 2013 at 11:55AM

Firstly, remove all the specifics from your post above as they could be used by the parking company to identify you.

Secondly, I'm still not clear about what the alleged "crime" is. The time period they have specified is much less than 3 hours!

I too doubt that you will get anywhere with the centre management (but it's worth complaining nonetheless), but I do urge you to complain to your councillor as Dacorum Council owns the facility.

If convenient it would be worth you nipping back a.s.a.p. to check on the signage situation (try not to get a charge notice while you are doing so!) because, if you have caught them out on this, they may dash down there and install some signs.

zenith23 · 25 July 2013 at 12:55PM

shall quickly check tonite but any sign certainly wasn't leaping out at me whilst ushering my mad child along. Should I mention this in my intent to appeal or the fact they've named the wrong car park?

thanks for your help

bazster · 25 July 2013 at 12:59PM

zenith23 wrote: »

shall quickly check tonite but any sign certainly wasn't leaping out at me whilst ushering my mad child along. Should I mention this in my intent to appeal or the fact they've named the wrong car park?

thanks for your help

But I'm still not clear about what they are accusing you of! Can we clear that up please? Because if they are accusing you of overstaying then their own notice proves that you didn't!

The_Slithy_Tove · 25 July 2013 at 1:03PM

zenith23 wrote: »

i was unaware of the new scheme it's not very well notified.

Neither have you notified this forum very well. Can you explain what this new scheme is, and where you are alleged to have failed in conforming with it?

zenith23 · 25 July 2013 at 1:19PM

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

Neither have you notified this forum very well. Can you explain what this new scheme is, and where you are alleged to have failed in conforming with it?

When you enter the Sports Centre you need to input your car registration number to authorise your car parking otherwise your parking is unauthorised and you recieve a notification for payment.

bazster · 25 July 2013 at 1:32PM

Ah, right, so you have to pop into the Sports Centre before you stroll down to Marlowes for three hours' shopping! Another of those brilliantly pointless schemes!

So what you do now is you write to the parking company telling them that you challenge this charge because the driver of the vehicle was a bona fide user of the sports centre. If you've still got your receipt for the swimming then attach a copy, but is doesn't matter if you haven't. Do not say who the driver was. You are writing in your capacity as registered keeper of the vehicle.

If you do have the receipt then they might (or might not) cancel the charge. Otherwise you will get a rejection and (hopefully) a PoPLA code. Then we will help you wipe the floor with them at PoPLA.

And please complain to your councillor!

zenith23 · 25 July 2013 at 1:44PM

That is the reason going by the online moaning but I doubt that it is really such a huge problem, more lack of parking spaces in my opinion.
It's not like it's a pain getting parking in the town centre nor is it expensive, I park in the pay ones all the time.
sadly I think the reciept is now in the bin but shall check at home, but paid by card so there is a record of it on my account.
I'm furious because my kid has had grommets and bad health so has been near impossible to go swimming with her and now when we go we get bagged with this fine.

Coupon-mad · 25 July 2013 at 2:01PM

zenith23 wrote: »

That is the reason going by the online moaning but I doubt that it is really such a huge problem, more lack of parking spaces in my opinion.
It's not like it's a pain getting parking in the town centre nor is it expensive, I park in the pay ones all the time.
sadly I think the reciept is now in the bin but shall check at home, but paid by card so there is a record of it on my account.
I'm furious because my kid has had grommets and bad health so has been near impossible to go swimming with her and now when we go we get bagged with this fine.

You haven't been bagged, this is not a fine and you won't be paying. No need to be furious except at the Management of the swimming pool. Demand it is cancelled.

And if the Manager doesn't help, just do the challenge (not 'intent to appeal') letter to the PPC scammers, as bazster suggested. Then you can win at POPLA if they reject it, IF you take further advice here at POPLA stage. Do not do the same appeal for POPLA.

Hemel Sportspace parking fine

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