Jump to content

Central Station Car Park Fine


Yorkie

Recommended Posts

Does anyone have our could easily get a photo of the car park signage?

I dropped off my wife and son there for 5 mins in the morning and waited 10 mins 37 sec to collect them in the evening and just received £100 fine for the pleasure.

I live 100 miles away so can't check, but swear I read a free short stay sign on the way in and didn't pay attention after that as I knew I would only be there for minutes.

There is such a sign on Google Maps but the photo is dated July 2016.

many thanks

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it the car parking at the side of the station or opposite ? I very rarely use either myself tending to go into town by bus when possible ,but i will have a look next time i am in the vicinity. Sounds like a number plate recognition system in operation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that there are two differently owned car parks. As you go onto the access road there is an entrance on the right (the space where the railway club was) which is a private car park not operated by NCP for Trans-Pennine, the station operator. The spaces to the left of the access road and the ones at the top and next to the station buildings (until the private car park sign), as well as the spaces off the second entrance on the right from the access road are on the station park. I think the free short stay places are in the station car park at the bottom and the dropping off marked spaces on the access road. There are transpennine signs in the railway car park sections but that doesn't help if you don't know there are two car parks, if say you live in York,
 

You will realise from this description that the legal test of well signed is probably disputable. Is the demand from the railway or from a parking company? The railway uses NCP as a contractor and the private car park is not NCP.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the ticket is issued by ParkingEye which uses electronic number plate recognition. The car park I used is right next to the station - one end of it is right next to the station entrance steps. I can visualise more parking at the end of the road which the car park in question runs along the side of, but don't clock it as a different car park hence my interest in the signs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like one of those "double-dip" events. Apparently can happen when the CCTV picks you up going in but doesn't catch you leaving and then if you go back in again it registers you leaving the second time and assumes you have been there all day. Can be caused by having a dirty rear number plate that the cameras can't detect or read. Very common with Parking Eye systems apparently. There are various facebook groups that may help:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fightyourprivateparkinginvoice/

 

Don't ignore it and lodge an appeal within the given period of time and then you will need evidence that you left and went back again. Some car parks also do not allow a return visit within an allotted time 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have lodged an appeal that the signs are misleading but this is based on my (flaky) memory and Google maps photo from last July. The photos on the parking fine letter are clearly my car and 10 mins 37 secs apart from driving in to driving out. I have asked for them to provide photos of the signs, I'll probably get back some legal blurb that they comply with some statutory minium requirements! I doubt that without current photographic evidence I'll have a leg to stand on. Here s hoping!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Yorkie, sorry for the slow reply although I did see your post on Saturday.  I wasn't sure which car park you meant either ie if it was the one on the same side as the station and to the left of it or the one opposite the steps and on the other side of the road.

I did drive past today though and intended to stop and take pics of the signs on both for you you my blummin' mobile phone battery went flat.

I might be heading over that way again tomorrow if time allows though so will try again.

If you did mean the car park to the left of the station and on the same side of the road then where exactly were you parked? Just as you go in there definately were a few bays for free parking (for drop off and pick up) just as you go in and on the right as I used to park there every day a year ago when I picked my son up from the station.  I'm not sure if it was 20 minutes or 30 mins but sometimes I was there for longer and never got a ticket.  It might have changed now though.

Like Baz said I too wondered if you have been a victim of the dreaded 'double dipping' too but I very much doubt there are ANPR camera's up as you go in and out of the section from the main Winwick Road though as that is also the access for the apartment blocks further up.  Everyone visiting the apartments would get fined if there were ANPR's there.  There could be some on the upper car park area if you bare right at the top and park next to what was the old side entrance to the station though.

Like I said I'll try again tomorrow....but crikey of your parking fine photos clearly show you driving in and out 10 mins 37 secs apart like you said in your last post I'd best be quick taking my photos or I'll get a fine too eek !! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

if you bare right at the top .

You might get a few suspicious looks especially if you have a camera with you.:D:D:wub:

Still you could drive around very slowly for ten minutes or more and see if they send you a ticket. if you haven't actually parked then can they still send you a parking fine.

another alternative dizz is to get a high viz jacket and a hard hat before you go and walk around taking the pictures. That way nobody will take any notice, especially if you carry a clipboard and hang your photo driving license round your neck on a bit of string.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes free

 

P_20170412_133139_1_p.jpg      1cad3dfa-01a0-4fb7-8f12-e29b83d69d18.jpg

Sign visible if you turn left onto the car park but if you turn right into the car park there is no sign I understand therefore no contract takes place 

There are a few help groups which will advice you on appeals

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've not had time to go yet...sorry Yorkie....but from memory I think that sign you have posted Milky just applies to the 2 (maybe 3 ?) drop of zone marked parking spaces just as you go in which are on the right hand side. 

Yorkie...you still haven't said exactly where you parked which may make it easier for us to help you :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Milky and Dizzy,

You guys are brilliant.  Apologies for silence from this end as I have been away over Easter weekend.

I came home to find on my doormat the response to my appeal letter requesting more info including pictures.  I don't think my letter has even been read. It is an automated letter which states... "...your appeal has been unsuccessful and you have now reached the end of our appeals procedure".  (what procedure??) But as a gesture of goodwill they have given me another two weeks to pay up £60 before it goes back up to £100 again.

Milky - your video and photo are great and will be going in as evidence to POPLA and if no success there then the Ombudsman!

Thanks again.

Yorkie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dizzy,

I just re-read you post questioning which car park. It is the large one on the right after you have turned into Central Way.  This is the one behind the sign that Milky has taken the picture of - I presumed (maybe wrongly?) that this sign referred to the car park - the fence for which the sign is attached..?  
Must admit after I read it on the day of the alleged offence (maybe naively) that I would be ok to drop off and pick up for s few minutes. 

I will keep you posted on any result be that positive or negative.

 

Ta,

Yorkie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi, my wife had the same problem. It's because there are 2 car parks in the same space. In her case she bought a ticket - but from the wrongmachine. It was dark, and I went back and checked in daylight - signage is poor. TBH, I suspect that suits Parking Eye just fine, since their money comes from fines, not parking fees.

Appealed to Parking Eye - rejected.

Appealed to POPLA on grounds of inadequate signage - won the appeal.

If you'd like to contact me for further details, I'm at jim.sullivan  insert the usual character hotmail.co.uk

Edited by Deceangli
included my email address - bad idea
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi and welcome to the forum Deceangli :D

Interesting post and I wasn't aware they were two different car parks with their own machines there.  If I ever have to park there in future I will remember that.

It's good to hear that you were successful in winning your appeal in the end.  Hopefully Yorkie's will be the same positive outcome :D
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Just been sent a parking charge for being in this car park for 12 mins.  Entered not realising it was not the station car park for pick ups went to turn round.  The person being picked up arrived with their baby at this time and so were placed into the car (engine stayed on) and pram placed in boot.  Is this really 'parking' .


Submitted appeal with facts but £60 is expensive to pick someone up from station.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of mine got caught in a similar fashion in a car park in Towyn, North Wales, recently. She only stopped for a few minutes to get her bearings, but it was another of those car parks with NPR cameras and the first thing she knows about it is the demand in the post, complete with time stamped photos. As you say £60 for 12 minutes is a bit steep!

On the same subject there was an item on the radio today saying that the average motorist spends 2 days a year looking for a car parking space!  He/she would be better off finding out which two days they are and spend them at home instead :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...