Latest news with #ExcelParking
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
East Midlands MPs call for action over 'rip-off' parking fines
Government urged to act over 'rip-off' parking fines 13 minutes ago Share Save Georgia Roberts Political Reporter, BBC Derby Share Save Google Copeland car park in Derby was named by one MP as a "repeat offender" for "ripping people off" A group of East Midlands MPs are urging the government to introduce legally binding rules for private parking companies, accusing them of "ripping people off". Drivers have told the BBC they have been unfairly penalised by companies such as Excel Parking for falling foul of their rules. Some drivers have faced being taken to court after being fined thousands in costs. The government said a consultation that would "inform a new legally binding code of practice" would take place "shortly" and pledged to "protect motorists and drive up standards". 'Enough is enough' The Labour MP for Derby South Baggy Shanker, who called the debate in Parliament's Westminster Hall on Tuesday, told MPs that local people are "fed up with parking companies unfairly pocketing their hard-earned cash". He named Copeland car park in Derby as a "repeat offender, ripping constituents off, workers and visitors with unfair fines". He mentioned the case of a Derby man, who had fallen foul of "unclear signage" whilst doing jury service at Derby Crown Court, and subsequently faced a parking fine "in excess of £1,000". Shanker added: "It is time to say 'enough is enough', and introduce a legally binding code of practice to put an end to these extortionate fines." UK PARLIAMENT Shanker speaking in the debate at Westminster Hall Shanker also criticised private parking firms for introducing a voluntary code of practice, accusing them of "setting their own rules and marking their own homework". The code of practice was published by the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC), the two trade bodies representing private car park operators. Shanker urged ministers to commit to introducing a legally-binding code of practice for the industry "without any further delays". Derby North MP Catherine Atkinson praised Derby resident Rosie Hudson for contesting her fine, and welcomed companies introducing a 10-minute grace period, but said "many are put off by the threats of legal action and worried about going to court". "The only way we are going to have a fair system is if we have a statutory code. We want to protect drivers from unfair practices, plain and simple." UK PARLIAMENT MPs from across Parliament attended the debate to talk about local cases of people being "ripped off" Derbyshire Dales MP John Whitby said residents had told him of tactics being deployed "akin to bullying and order to get them to pay unjust fines". He mentioned one resident who was fined £170 after it took her too long to figure out how to use a faulty payment machine. Another had told him the fines "left her feeling particularly stressed, as she doesn't have the money to pay the fine because she's caring for her sick daughter". Mansfield MP Steve Yemm said there was a "real sense of anger" amongst local people who regularly faced issues with payment apps, faulty machines and "difficulty speaking to a real person" to query wrongly issued penalty charge notices (PCNs). He praised St Peter's Retail Park in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, for agreeing to "numerous improvements" after being the source of "hundreds of complaints". However, he said that he maintained "many, many reservations" about the behaviour of the firms, many of whom he said were "intent on generating as many PCNs as possible" for income. Responding for the government, junior communities minister and Nottingham North and Kimberly MP Alex Norris said the government would be bringing forward a legally binding code "in due course". "We are committed to take action to protect motorists and to drive up standards in the private parking industry," he said. Whilst he would not give specific time frames when pushed by MPs, he stressed that a consultation will be brought forward "shortly". Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Greedy' firm tried to fine me £200 for not paying for parking within FIVE minutes… I fought them for two years and finally won - here's how
A parking firm that tried to get £200 out of a motorist after she took more than five minutes to pay for her spot has been left empty handed - after years of fighting. Angela Haley, 64, had decided against stopping in her usual Derby car park and instead chose to station her car elsewhere after entering from a different route. Initially she had issues paying due to the machine being out of service on May 4, 2023, but she eventually managed to pay the £3.20 due over the phone before heading into the city for a couple hours of shopping. Having followed Excel Parking's guidelines she believed all was well, until a PCN (Parking Charge Notice) came through her letter box five months later accusing her of parking without payment. Steadfast Ms Haley appealed the fine, providing proof including confirmation texts, phone calls to the company, as well as a bank account statement showing she made the payment that day. However, the parking firm denied her request. She then continued to fight against the ticket via the Independent Appeals Service (IAS), described as 'an alternative dispute resolution service' for tickets handed out by private firms, adamant she had paid the ticket. Ms Haley continued to show her payments receipts to both IAS and Elms Legal, who previously represented the parking firm, but then the reason for the fine emerged - she had not paid within a five minute window. She told MailOnline: 'I was in a bit of disbelief, I thought well, I know I would never not pay for parking. It's just not something I'd do. 'I kept getting letters from them, and I said look here's my bank statement. 'I didn't have a physical ticket because the normal routes of payment, which would have been just to tap my debit card, wasn't an option on the day.' 'I kept getting legal letters, and then when I found the receipt on my phone, and emailed them a copy, they said, "Oh, no, that they still want to pursue". 'But now then it was because they claimed I didn't pay within their time period, and I just said, I'm not paying. I've paid once I've. I'm not paying again.' She added: 'It stressed me out to the point where every time any sort of official envelope addressed to me came through the door. 'But I was also going to fight tooth and nail - I was determined I wasn't paying it. There was no way I was backing down from this.' The legal firm then offered her a reduced fine to around £200, whilst also giving her the option to pay in monthly instalments of £17. 'I didn't even realise it was that much anyway, so they could offer me whatever they liked. I wasn't not paying it,' she added. 'I just kept writing every time I got a threatening letter I just wrote back and said, "Don't write to me anymore. Just take me to court".' Eventually a small claims court date was set in Sheffield, around 75 miles away from Ms Haley's home. This combined with clashing events meant she could not attend in person. However she did send her court bundle, which included an overwhelming amount of documents showing her innocence, and eventually emerged victorious. And after a year of battling Excel Parking sent a letter to confrim they were discontinuing the claim. 'You only have to look at Trustpilot and Google Reviews to realise how many people this company is pursuing for fines,' Ms Haley said. 'I'm lucky because I'm retired. So I've got loads of time in my hands. 'But I think if I'd have been still working and I used to have a stressful job, I'd have just paid it because I'd have been so stressed out. 'I think that's what a lot of people do They terrorise people into thinking they have to pay this money. She added: I could have afforded to pay it, it was never about the money it was about the principle. 'It was the fact that I was able to prove that their paperwork was not relevant to the date I parked that was what really keeping me going.' Recalling the moment she received the letter from the firm, notifying her they were dropping the issue, she said: 'Obviously I was relieved. But there's no we do apologise for any upset or inconvenience.' 'I do feel terrible for those people who may be in be in a different financial position, or more frightened, people could have a nervous breakdown,' she added. A representative from Excel Parking Services said: 'ELMS Legal Ltd were instructed following the rejection of the Defendant's appeal by the Independent Appeals Service and in accordance with the terms and conditions in effect at the site at the time of the contravention. 'Any further details regarding the instruction of the claim and/or its discontinuance are subject to legal privilege.] A spokesperson from Elms Legal said: 'ELMS Legal Ltd were instructed by the Claimant following the rejection of the Defendant's appeal by the Independent Appeals Service and in accordance with the terms and conditions in effect at the site at the time of the contravention. 'Any further details regarding the instruction of the claim and/or its discontinuance are subject to legal privilege.'
The Herald Scotland
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald Scotland
Brits told parking payment machines ‘set up to trap people'
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the issue as 'a problem that needs to be tackled', while the RAC called for a Government-backed code of conduct to be reintroduced. Many car parks require users to input their vehicle registration when purchasing a ticket from a machine. This is supposed to prevent them from being sent a PCN when their vehicle is detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. However, PA has uncovered numerous cases of drivers who insist they entered their registration correctly but still received a PCN. Each had initial appeals rejected, despite submitting a photograph of their ticket, which shows an incorrect registration was printed. Matt Chambers, a 35-year-old business owner, received a £100 PCN from Excel Parking after using a car park in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, in February. He said: 'They say I only registered the letter B for my number plate. The Government has commented on the issue. (Image: Getty Images) 'That's not right. I'm adamant I put the whole number plate in because I've used that car park several times before, and it's the exact same process every time. 'I know how to use the machine.' He said he is continuing to challenge the PCN but 'sometimes it feels easier to pay just to make them go away' even though 'I've done nothing wrong'. Retired chef Lee Rogers, 67, suffered a similar problem. He received a PCN from Euro Car Parks after using a car park in Rye, East Sussex, in August last year, and later realised the ticket he bought only had one digit of his registration printed on it. He said: 'I did not stand there and key in just the first digit. 'Hundreds of others have had the same problem.' He said he told Euro Car Parks he would 'very much like to go to court' over the issue as 'they know I've paid'. His partner is feeling 'trepidation that someone might come knocking at the door', he added. Campaigner Lynda Eagan has been researching the issue for around a decade after receiving a PCN she felt was 'undeserved'. She assists drivers who join a Facebook group named Private Parking Tickets – Help and Advice, which has 47,000 members. Asked how many people in the UK she believes have been sent tickets because of faulty machines, she replied: 'Literally thousands.' She said: 'We've got unfair PCNs issued to people simply because the machine didn't work properly. 'It's a totally filthy business. It's just wrong.' Ms Eagan said most machine faults involve 'sticky keys' – when the buttons pressed are not correctly recorded – or devices which 'encourage you to pay' before the full registration has been entered. The latter machines are 'set up to trap people', she claimed, as they accept payment even if only the first letter of a registration is entered. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'Sadly, it's abundantly clear from the multitude of examples that some parking companies are wrongly demanding 'fines' from drivers who have legitimately paid to park. 'Whether it's a faulty payment machine that records the wrong vehicle registration or an innocent mistake keying in their number plate, these people shouldn't have to pay the £100 parking charge notices they are sent. 'Many cases seem completely unjustified and should be thrown out at appeal, but sadly they so often aren't. 'We desperately need the Government to introduce the Private Parking Code of Practice to bring much-needed scrutiny to the sector.' A Bill to enable the introduction of a Government-backed code for private parking companies received royal assent under the Conservative government in March 2019. The code was withdrawn in June 2022 after a legal challenge by parking companies. It included halving the cap on tickets for most parking offences to £50, creating a fairer appeals system and banning the use of aggressive language on PCNs. Ms Alexander called for private parking companies to make a 'dramatic improvement' in the way they deal with the public. She urged them to do 'simple things' such as having 'machines and equipment that work', and being contactable rather than providing 'addresses that no-one answers letters from'. Ms Alexander went on: 'Government is working on a code of practice because we recognise that we need to drive up standards in the private parking industry. 'People's experience is not good enough at the moment. 'I'm working with colleagues in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on this, and I do accept that this is a problem that needs to be tackled.' Recommended Reading Analysis of Government data by PA and motoring research charity the RAC Foundation in November last year found an average of more than 41,000 PCNs were being sent to drivers in Britain by private companies every day. A spokesperson for trade body the British Parking Association declined to respond to the claims of faulty machines, but said someone who receives a parking charge they believe was issued in error should first contact the parking operator and provide 'all the information that would be relevant for an appeal'. Excel Parking did not provide a response, while Euro Car Parks did not respond to requests for a comment.
Metro
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Metro
Faulty machines blamed for 'thousands' of parking fines up to £170
Drivers across the UK have accused private parking firms of 'unfair' tickets. The most morbid case was for Maurizio Capoccia, from Enfield, London, who received a £100 from Euro Car Parks, saying he had parked at a Sainsbury's. However, Maurizio told Metro he was at a funeral on the other side of town, and he was eventually able to prove it with CCTV from the church. Other drivers have come forward claiming a faulty machine has landed them with a ticket. One of them is Matt Chambers, who received a £100 Parking Charge Notice (PCN) after leaving his car at the Excel Parking site in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, in February. The 35-year-old business owner claimed the system had 'only registered the letter B for my number plate,' but he entered it correctly. 'That's not right. I'm adamant I put the whole number plate in because I've used that car park several times before, and it's the exact same process every time. 'I know how to use the machine.' Those who have ever tried to challenge a parking ticket know it can be time-consuming. While Matt continues to challenge his fine, he admitted it sometimes 'feels easier to pay just to make them go away.' Maurizio remained adamant and refused to pay his fine 'because once you pay, they close the case,' he told Metro previously. Retired chef Lee Rogers says he received a fine from Euro Car Parks in August last year after the ticket he had bought only showed one digit of his number plate. The 67-year-old insists: 'I did not stand there and key in just the first digit. 'Hundreds of others have had the same problem.' He wasn't afraid to go to court over the fine as 'they know I've paid,' he said. We approached Euro Car Parks and Excel Parking for a comment. Campaigners believe 'thousands' of drivers could be affected by faulty machines. Campaigner Lynda Eagan, who helps drivers with private parking tickets, said most faulty machines involve 'sticky keys' as buttons pressed are not recorded correctly or devices which ask drivers to pay before full registration has been entered. The latter machines are 'set up to trap people,' she claimed, as they accept payment even if only the first letter of a registration is entered. Government figures analysed by PA news agency and the RAC Foundation in November last year found that private companies send around 41,000 parking tickets to drivers each day. The RAC's head of policy Simon Williams said that some parking companies are 'wrongly demanding' fines from drivers who have paid to park. He continued: 'Whether it's a faulty payment machine that records the wrong vehicle registration or an innocent mistake keying in their number plate, these people shouldn't have to pay the £100 parking charge notices they are sent. More Trending 'Many cases seem completely unjustified and should be thrown out at appeal, but sadly they so often aren't. 'We desperately need the Government to introduce the Private Parking Code of Practice to bring much-needed scrutiny to the sector.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander urged private parking companies to make a 'dramatic improvement' in how they deal with the public, such as 'machines and equipment that work.' A spokesperson for trade body the British Parking Association anyone who believes they have received a parking ticket issued in error should contact the parking operator and provide 'all the information that would be relevant for an appeal.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: What will happen to the £380,000 Popemobile? MORE: Gateway to Italy's 'prettiest destination' gets new direct flight from the UK MORE: Boy, 14, killed and dad in hospital after M6 crash
Scottish Sun
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Urgent warning as 1000s of drivers slapped with parking fines of up to £170 despite PAYING
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DRIVERS are being slapped with fines of up to £170 despite paying to park — because dodgy machines are missing digits off number plates. Campaigner Lynda Eagan, who helps run a 47,000-member Facebook group, says 'literally thousands' have been caught out by 'sticky keys' and machines that let you pay without completing your plate. 1 Dodgy parking machines are wrongfully slapping motorists with fines of up to £170 Credit: Getty She claimed some devices are 'set up to trap people', while the RAC has called for urgent reform and the return of a scrapped code of practice. Matt Chambers, 35, was fined £100 in Worksop after Excel Parking claimed he only typed the letter 'B' - a charge he insists is false. Lee Rogers, 67, got a ticket in Rye when his machine printed just one digit, and 79-year-old Mary Hawken's £170 fine was dropped only after her MP stepped in. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander admitted the system is broken and said the Government is working on a code of practice. A spokesperson for trade body the British Parking Association declined to respond to the claims of faulty machines, but said someone who receives a parking charge they believe was issued in error should first contact the parking operator and provide 'all the information that would be relevant for an appeal'. Sometimes parking ticket machines break, but that does not mean that you can park for free. Police can still give you a fine, so here is everything you need to know about much the fine is and if you can get it cancelled. You may still face a fine for not having a parking ticket if the machine is broken, but you should be able to appeal the decision. According to Citizens Advice, the fine can be cancelled, but only if there wasn't another way to pay. The penalty won't be dropped if there was another, working machine nearby — so ensure you double check before leaving without paying. Disabled pensioner has hit with £100 parking fine after ticket machine machine was blocked by debris If you do decide to park, you should take a photograph of the broken machine as you'll need it for your appeal should you end up getting fined. More than half of drivers have successfully appealed parking fines handed out by local councils, an investigation by The Sun found in 2021. But be careful, as some car parks will have a sign saying not to stop there if there's no way to pay. Should you ignore the sign and get a penalty, your appeal is very likely to be rejected.
