Latest news with #LyndaEagan
Daily Mirror
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
'Dodgy' parking machines cause heartache as motorists pay fines despite being innocent
Motorists would pay a 'dodgy' parking fine even if they hadn't done anything wrong - most would fork out just to 'get rid of the hassle', with 13% saying there's no point in appealing private company fines Drivers say they would pay private parking charges even if they'd done nothing wrong. One in 20 would pay up even if they knew they hadn't broken the rules, according to the AA. Most would fork out just to 'get rid of the hassle', with 13% saying there's no point in appealing these private company fines. The majority would appeal, but only a third say they'd be 'confident' of success. These latest findings show 'the delay in implementing the official government code is scandalous' says AA's head of roads policy who supply roadside assistance all over the nation. Campaigner Lynda Eagan, who operates a 'Private Parking Tickets - Help and Advice' Facebook group with 47,000 followers, told The Mirror she worries about the mental health impact of these fines. She said: 'People are paying early to save themselves the aggravation of having to appeal, lose the appeal, pay even more and potentially go to court. What we really need to concentrate on is on the mental health of people. To get a PCN doesn't sound very much but for some people £60 is a lot of money, it's probably a grocery shop, especially for pensioners. 'It's a pain in your heart to know they are losing a night's sleep over it. Many of the vulnerable in the community are the ones getting tripped up by these parking machines. And it's all because of pure greed. It's the gravy train they know is going to be grinding to a halt when the Government impose regulations. " She explained the wait for regulations for private firms goes back to 2017, the act was passed in 2019 but the proposed code of practice was withdrawn in 2022 and "it's now sitting dusty on a shelf.' Lynda predicts we are heading for 14 million PCNs this year, based on the number of requests that the DVLA get. 'They are generating PCNs for things they know are unfair. The graph is going up at about the same rate every year.' She says 'dodgy machines' are causing a lot of heartache, with sticky numbers and machines that encourage people to pay before they have put their full registration in. 'I only see the tip of the iceberg but I see lots of people who say they put their registration in but the machine has made a mistake. "Those people are offered a £20 early cancellation fee by the companies that are chasing them even though those companies know there are repeated problems in their car parks.' AA members were asked to imagine receiving a PCN for something they didn't commit, with one saying 'pay as no one seems to win in a contest with parking companies.'. One in 50 respondents said they would ignore the PCN letter, with one explaining 'Ignore it as it's an invoice not a fine!'. While explaining their reason for paying and appealing one person said 'I'd rather pay it so that it doesn't escalate then contest it to get refunded'. Meanwhile, one in 12 (8%) said they would approach Citizens Advice for help. In 2021-22 Citizens Advice helped 7,412 people with concerns regarding private parking operators, but that has now grown by 34% to 9,926 requests for help in 2024-25. In their poll of more than 11,500 drivers, one in 20 (5%1) said they would pay up immediately if they received a PCN even if they knew they did not break the rules. Of those that would pay, more than half (53%) said they would do so because 'it gets rid of the hassle'. More than one in 10 (13%) said they would pay the PCN because they felt they wouldn't get a fair hearing at appeal, while shockingly 11% said they'd pay due to fearing legal action. In contrast, 53% of drivers said they would appeal a PCN letter from a private parking company, but only a third said they felt 'confident' they would be successful. After a legal challenge a code of practice for private companies was withdrawn. The private parking sector have since implemented their own code of practice, which The AA does not endorse. 'In fact, 5% of drivers have been hoodwinked into believing that this self-authored code is the official government backed document,' they said. The AA is calling on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to act urgently and introduce the government backed scheme by the end of 2025. Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for The AA, said: 'The delay in implementing the official government code is scandalous. Six years on, yet no part of the legislation has been introduced to protect and safeguard drivers from an aggressive industry. 'The fact that drivers are willing to pay up when they have done nothing wrong, nor have any confidence in the current appeals process, shows why urgent action is needed. 'We are hugely concerned that the government is standing idly by while drivers continue to receive threatening letters from a sector that works on the basis of guilty until proven innocent. Urgent action is needed, and introducing the rules by the end of the year will help wrestle back some of the balance in favour of the motorist. 'Until the measures within the Act are in place, drivers will continue to be attacked by these shark-like businesses.'
Scotsman
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Readers' letters: Private firms issuing parking fines must be reined in
A reader calls for a crackdown private firms issuing hefty fines for minor parking infringements Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The campaigner Lynda Eagan described the widespread experience of wrong and expensive parking fines as a 'filthy business' (Scotsman, April 22). My recent experience wholly reinforces this. Having received no prior notification of any infringement until a debt collector's letter arrived, I was effectively given four-days' notice to stump up £170 before court proceedings would be enacted: strong-arm tactics, using a legally flawed process, and totally disproportional for a minor parking infringement! According to Lynda I am only one of thousands across the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is now backed by RAC research. Excluding 2020/21 for Covid, estimates just published highlight the exponential growth in parking tickets issued by private firms that has occurred over the last ten years: 12.77 million tickets were issued in 2023/24, up from 3.08 million in 2014/15. If this trend continues, 14.5 million tickets will be issued this year at a rate of 41,000 per day (Scotsman, 25 April). Spectacular growth that Rachel Reeves would die for! Who knew this was one of the UK's major growth industries! Private firms issued 12.77 million parking tickets in 2023/24 (Picture: The key traits of this industry are: 1) It remains unregulated. The 'Private Parking Code of Practice' introduced by the previous Government was withdrawn following legal challenge by the industry in 2022. 2) The sector is large and ubiquitous, with private firms owning more than 50,000 sites across the country and 3) The sector is increasingly concentrated, with five firms accounting for more than 50 per cent of tickets issued. The Government needs to grasp this prickly nettle quickly and re-introduce a legally binding code of 'best practice'. And, while the measure of market concentration may just fall shy of automatic referral to the Competition and Markets Authority, a pre-emptive investigation into this industry and how it's run would I'm sure be welcomed by the eight out of ten drivers who have reported frustration at the current state of affairs. Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire Human dignity As a member of the LGBT community and a Labour voter, I feel compelled to express my deep disappointment with Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent comments on transgender rights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I voted for my Labour MP because I could not support the views of the SNP's Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes. Yet, within months of taking office, Labour has begun to mirror the very same exclusionary rhetoric I voted against. Starmer's retreat into defining womanhood strictly by biological sex is not just a betrayal of LGBT people—it is a betrayal of the values Labour claimed to uphold. This is part of a wider pattern. The government's abandonment of key manifesto commitments – from abandoning the WASPI women and scrapping green investment to abandoning pledges to scrap tuition fees and end the two-child benefit cap – suggests a leadership that lacks both principle and conviction. The party I supported promised compassion and progress. What we now see is political expediency at the expense of vulnerable communities. Trans people deserve respect, recognition, and protection. Their rights should not be a political calculation. I urge Labour MPs – including mine – to publicly reaffirm their commitment to equality, and to challenge the party's alarming drift into opportunism and moral ambiguity. If Labour cannot stand firm on basic human dignity, then it risks losing the trust of those who believed it could do better. Adrian Fletcher, Glasgow Snake-oil salesman Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Surprisingly, A Lewis (Letters, 25 April) omitted Reform UK's most significant 'promise': 'pie in the sky'. It's astounding that many who were duped by wizard snake-oil salesman Nigel Farage into believing Brexit would solve all of the UK's problems now believe that Reform UK will perform this same magic act. Even a simple glance behind the mask of deception would reveal that this sorcerer is not 'anti-establishment', as he presents himself, but is bought and paid for by the economic elite acting on behalf of the British Establishment. Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian Education crisis Scottish education, once the envy of the world, now appears to be in crisis. The loss of 350 jobs at Edinburgh University and the ongoing struggle to recruit new teachers simply accentuate a problem, to which there doesn't appear to be any immediate solution. We should cherish our teachers, underpaid, undervalued and understaffed, who do a remarkable job in often impossible circumstances. Having to cope with a variety of special needs, including autism, without the provision of promised specialised classroom assistants, their skills are stretched to the limits, and beyond. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Funds, admittedly needed, for defence are readily found, but what about education, arguably the most valuable priority, the whole future of our young people? With both schools and universities struggling financially, perhaps it's time to reflect upon the vital contribution they make. Our children deserve nothing less. Ian Petrie, Edinburgh Astonishing sums I was astonished to read that Edinburgh University employs over 15,000 staff. This of course includes the Principal on a salary of more than £400,000 and several hundred lecturers earning over £100,000. Given the university has approximately 50,000 students it does not take a degree level of intelligence to work out the ratio of staff to students. If only our nurses and doctors could be afforded the same ratio! Brian Petrie, Edinburgh See the light The UK economy is in tatters. Brexit as predicted by the Scottish Government, has been an unmitigated disaster and is costing us billions of pounds each year. Our Labour government is supplying weapons to a country accused of genocide, keeping children in poverty via the two-child cap, imposing huge cuts on disabled people's benefits, denying pensioners the Winter Fuel Allowance and reneging on promises made to WASPI women when in opposition. The growth Rachel Reeves promised has not materialised and the only people laughing all the way to the bank are the ultra-wealthy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Evidently, none of this is of any concern to your correspondent David Millar (Letters, 24 April) who can only throw some cheap jibes at the SNP while the good ship HMS United Kingdom sinks slowly but surely beneath the waves. Scotland can do so much better than this shambles. Perhaps Mr Millar's new glasses will help him see the light! Alan Woodcock, Dundee Straws clutched A recent rogue opinion poll seems to have set the bravehearts of Scottish nationalist activists aflutter. After virtually years of little or no change, the poll, ran by a pro-SNP newspaper, showed a sudden swing to the nationalist cause. Then they got another straw to clutch. In Northern Ireland there was talk of a possible constitutional referendum if opinion polls showed a constant and sustained lead there. And so, the latest call, barely heard above the myriad problems facing Scotland, for another referendum. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Presumably we have to forget that we had a 'once in a lifetime' referendum here in 2014, which the nationalists lost by a distance. They did not have one in Northern Ireland. Here, however, the nationalists were hammered. They had every single possible advantage: the date, the crucial wording; the age and make-up and place of residence of the voters, and more, conditions they could never ever get again. But it made no difference. They lost, badly. If you are using a rogue poll conducted by a pro-separation newspaper as an argument, your cause I am afraid is already long lost. Alexander McKay, Edinburgh Climate games Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop has admitted that the Scottish Government needs to drop its 'unrealistic, unachievable and unnecesary' target to reduce car use by 20 per cent by 2030 (Scotsman, 24 April). Scotland has 3.1 million cars but there are 1.475 billion cars in the world so Scotland is just playing climate games with its miniscule 0.1 per cent of global emissions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad China says it is aiming for net zero in 2060 whilst India has said 2070 and the US under Donald Trump will be increasing its emissions, not reducing them. Does any sane person believe that the oil, gas and coal-rich countries will curb the exploitation of their resources which have driven their economies and raised the standards of living for their populations? Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian Trump's rebuke 'Vladimir, STOP!' Trump tweeted to Putin, issuing rare rebuke after Russia launched a savage attack on Ukraine. Naughty, naughty Vlad... and after Donald promised you Crimea and a whole chunk of Ukraine and told Ukraine to shut up and lump it. How selfish can you get? acting with impunity like this while the White House fawns over you. Trevor Rigg, Edinburgh Mammy's boy Donald Trump rebukes Putin for continuing to attack Ukraine with all the sincerity of some feckless Glaswegian mammy droning to her psychotic offspring to cease laying waste to some high street shop 'or the man will come over and shout at you'. Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire Write to The Scotsman Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
The Guardian
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Parking firms ‘issuing thousands of fines in England due to faulty ticket machines'
Thousands of drivers in England are being sent demands for up to £170 from private parking companies because of faulty ticket machines, campaigners have said. Many private car parks require motorists to input their vehicle registration when purchasing a ticket from a machine, which is supposed to ensure they do not receive a parking fine. Parking charge notices (PCNs) are issued when a ticket is not matched with a registration by automatic number recognition (ANPR) cameras that monitor entry and exit from car parks. Parking companies send an average of 41,000 PCNs to drivers in Britain every day, according to government data analysed by the RAC Foundation and PA Media in November last year. Many motorists, however, claim they entered their registration number correctly but still received a PCN. Campaigner Lynda Eagan, who operates a Facebook group offering parking ticket help and advice that has 47,000 followers, said many machines were faulty but private parking companies continued to wrongfully pursue fines. 'We've got unfair PCNs issued to people simply because the machine didn't work properly,' she said. 'It's a totally filthy business. It's just wrong.' Eagan believes thousands of drivers are wrongly being sent PCNs, the most common fault being 'sticky keys' that do not correctly record number plates. She also believes some machines – those that encourage drivers to pay before entering their registration, which is necessary to avoid a PCN – are 'set up to trap people'. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, described the issue as a 'problem that needs to be tackled', and the RAC has called for a government-backed code of conduct to be reintroduced. A bill to introduce a code for private parking companies received royal assent in March 2019. The code, which included halving the cap on fines for most parking offences to £50 and creating a fairer appeals system, was withdrawn three years later after a legal challenge from parking companies. Interviews with drivers conducted by PA found that many continued to be pursued by private parking companies despite providing proof that they had paid for their ticket. 'Some parking companies are wrongly demanding 'fines' from drivers who have legitimately paid to park,' said Simon Williams, the RAC's head of policy. 'Whether it's a faulty payment machine that records the wrong vehicle registration or an innocent mistake keying in their numberplate, 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.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Alexander said she was working with colleagues in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on implementing a code of practice. 'We need to drive up standards in the private parking industry,' she said. 'People's experience is not good enough at the moment.' Excel Parking, one of the UK's biggest private parking operators, has also been criticised for charging drivers £100 if they take longer than five minutes to pay. Earlier this month, a judge dismissed a claim by the company demanding £11,390 in charges from a driver and ordered it to pay thousands in legal costs. Hannah Robinson, 21, received hundreds of letters and repeated phone calls demanding she pay the fines. She said she had paid for a ticket each time but sometimes it took longer than five minutes because of poor phone signal and problems with the payment app. Excel Parking also dropped a £1,906 court claim in December against another driver who took more than five minutes to pay for their ticket. Excel Parking did not respond to requests for comment about allegations of faulty machines.
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.
The Irish Sun
21-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning as 1000s of drivers slapped with parking fines of up to £170 despite PAYING
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. READ MORE ON MOTORS 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'. 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. Most read in Motors According to Citizens Advice, the 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.
