PCN for not buying ticket quickly enough in an ANPR car park Options

[Ian P]

Hi All,

I have been issued with a PCN by Premier Parking Solutions in Paignton. According to the ANPR camera I entered the car park at 11.24 but did not purchase a ticket until 11.43. The ticket was valid until 13.43 however I left the car park 45 minutes before expiry at 12.58.

I appealed the ticket however they are saying they allow a 10 minute grace period and it took 19 minutes to park and buy a ticket and have declined the appeal. For what it's worth I was actually ill after having been up all night with a sickness bug. Ironically, if they'd had a parking attendant he would have quite clearly seen this, however, I quite obviously can't now prove this fact!

I've been back to the car park since and taken photographs of all the signage - nowhere does it state anything about a 10 minute grace period before purchasing a ticket however from what I've read this is now standard practice by law which concerns me as I now feel like I "should have known"

They've offered me another opportunity to appeal via the quite pointless IAS route which I am not going to respond to. I have however written to them stating that I don't feel they have a case. I have my original parking ticket stating all the times in and out and time of purchase

Do I have any chance of winning an appeal?

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[VirtualAlien]

Wow... just wow. 2 years to chase a "debt" for someone taking a bit too long to buy a ticket. 2 years of their firm continually chasing this money, even though a parking ticket was bought and paid for! Unbelievable.

Credit to the OP for sticking to his guns and making them fight for it. If everyone did this, these firms would be bankrupt within weeks. It's actually quite shocking how they go about their business, refusing paperwork and just trying to bully people.

The best thing about all of this, is that even if they do take you to court and win, you probably will have cost them several times more than the original fine is worth. Hope they just disappear, to be honest from what people have said here they don't have much of a case anyway.

[Jlc]

Unbelievable.

It's often their only source of income.

Now that carmaggedon has been averted they will pursue anyone who they think has breached their often petty rules.

[Ian P]

Wow... just wow. 2 years to chase a "debt" for someone taking a bit too long to buy a ticket. 2 years of their firm continually chasing this money, even though a parking ticket was bought and paid for! Unbelievable.

Credit to the OP for sticking to his guns and making them fight for it. If everyone did this, these firms would be bankrupt within weeks. It's actually quite shocking how they go about their business, refusing paperwork and just trying to bully people.

The best thing about all of this, is that even if they do take you to court and win, you probably will have cost them several times more than the original fine is worth. Hope they just disappear, to be honest from what people have said here they don't have much of a case anyway.

Hi VA

Unbelievably, it'll actually be 5 years this October since the alleged contravention took place.

I genuinely DO want them to take me to court.

I'm not a legal eagle but I'm not stupid either. I will present a good case that I hope a fair-minded judge will look at and throw out.

What they are trying to do is extort money by frightening people. Sadly for them, I don't scare easily

This post has been edited by Ian P: Wed, 3 Feb 2021 - 15:41

[Ian P]

Unbelievable.

It's often their only source of income.

Now that carmaggedon has been averted they will pursue anyone who they think has breached their often petty rules.

Hi Jlc,

What do you mean by "now that carmageddon has been averted"?

[ManxRed]

A lot of these parking companies belong to a trade body who used a scenario of 'Carmageddon' (I think that was the actual term used) to justify the existence of these parasite companies. While a lot of people saw these companies as simply exploiting people's fear/lack of knowledge of the legal system/authority and contract law to make huge sums of money, they instead saw themselves as bastions of a cause of prevention of a Mad-Max style scenario where no one would be able to move for 'illegally' parked cars littering the streets piled up six deep.

No, seriously. They did. Stop laughing at the back.

[Ian P]

A lot of these parking companies belong to a trade body who used a scenario of 'Carmageddon' (I think that was the actual term used) to justify the existence of these parasite companies. While a lot of people saw these companies as simply exploiting people's fear/lack of knowledge of the legal system/authority and contract law to make huge sums of money, they instead saw themselves as bastions of a cause of prevention of a Mad-Max style scenario where no one would be able to move for 'illegally' parked cars littering the streets piled up six deep.

No, seriously. They did. Stop laughing at the back.

I've now got a vision in my head of Mel Gibson riding around in an armoured vehicle shooting up ANPR cameras

[Jlc]

Carmageddon?