Latest news with #ParkingEye
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Drivers urged to ‘beat the system' after record number of parking tickets issued
Despite issuing approximately 41,000 tickets daily in Britain, private parking companies 'don't want to issue parking charges', according to an industry leader. Will Hurley, chief executive of the International Parking Community (IPC), said that operators want drivers to park legally and conveniently. He said: "Any business is there to make money. But the reality is, the vast majority of money that comes in in the parking industry comes from people paying for parking." This comes amid accusations against private parking firms of employing misleading signage, aggressive debt collection tactics, and excessive fees. These companies pursue vehicle owners for alleged violations in private car parks, such as those at shopping centres, leisure facilities, and motorway service areas. They issue parking charge notices (PCNs) – which are invoices or demands for money – when they claim someone has breached the land owner's rules, for example not entering their registration correctly into a machine, overstaying or not parking within a bay. Each ticket can be up to £100, with a minimum discount of 40 per cent if paid within 14 days. The latest published accounts for ParkingEye, the UK's biggest private parking company, show it made a pre-tax profit of £16.1 million in 2023, up from £10.9 million a year earlier. It is 'easy to beat the system' for anyone who believes parking operators may attempt to profit by sending them a PCN, Mr Hurley said. He went on: 'If you're thinking about it, just don't park in a way that gets a parking charge. 'If you're really that upset by it, just follow the signs. If the signs are unclear, go and park somewhere else.' He added: 'Parking operators don't want to issue charges. They want people to park where they need to, when they need to.' In the six months to the end of September 2024, car park management companies made 7.2 million requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for vehicle keeper records, which they use to send PCNs. That is up 12 per cent from the same period a year earlier and represents an average of 41,000 requests per day. In the six months to the end of September 2019, the average daily rate was 24,000. The figures are indicative of the number of PCNs being issued by private companies. The IPC insists the jump in tickets is 'directly linked' to the number of UK locations being managed by parking companies being more than five times higher than in 2012, and a 21 per cent increase in the number of registered vehicles over the same period. It emerged last month that many drivers are being sent tickets they claim are unfair because of how some payment machines operate, with one campaigner claiming the devices are 'set up to trap people'. Some machines which require users to input their vehicle registration accept payment after only one letter being entered. This has led to multiple cases of drivers paying the required parking fee but still being sent a PCN when their vehicle was detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Mr Hurley said 'I don't think that's helpful' and revealed he wants to see the issue eradicated as part of payment machine 'minimum standards' being developed by the IPC. He continued: 'I believe that the minimum thing that should happen if you're required to put a registration number in, is you should be required to confirm your registration number before you go on to the payment bit. 'How quickly can that be implicated across 50,000 locations in the country? 'Not overnight, but we've got to take steps in that direction.' 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. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has said it will set out further details on re-introducing the code 'as soon as possible'. Mr Hurley insisted 'there's nobody that's supported the Government more than us in terms of introducing a single code of practice'. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'If private companies really don't want to issue tickets, they should make their signs clearer and easier to understand. 'Avoiding a charge is the opposite of easy in some locations. 'We've heard stories of machines that aren't working, as well as ones that skip ahead to payment after entering one or two numbers or letters, or ones that record different letters to those keyed in. 'The fact remains the Government's code of practice needs to be brought in as soon as possible.' Mr Williams also called for the parking industry to be 'transparent about the number of complaints it receives from drivers who believe they've been treated unfairly'.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Parking companies ‘don't want' to ticket drivers, says industry head
Despite issuing approximately 41,000 tickets daily in Britain, private parking companies 'don't want to issue parking charges', according to an industry leader. Will Hurley, chief executive of the International Parking Community (IPC), said that operators want drivers to park legally and conveniently. He said: "Any business is there to make money. But the reality is, the vast majority of money that comes in in the parking industry comes from people paying for parking." This comes amid accusations against private parking firms of employing misleading signage, aggressive debt collection tactics, and excessive fees. These companies pursue vehicle owners for alleged violations in private car parks, such as those at shopping centres, leisure facilities, and motorway service areas. They issue parking charge notices (PCNs) – which are invoices or demands for money – when they claim someone has breached the land owner's rules, for example not entering their registration correctly into a machine, overstaying or not parking within a bay. Each ticket can be up to £100, with a minimum discount of 40 per cent if paid within 14 days. The latest published accounts for ParkingEye, the UK's biggest private parking company, show it made a pre-tax profit of £16.1 million in 2023, up from £10.9 million a year earlier. It is 'easy to beat the system' for anyone who believes parking operators may attempt to profit by sending them a PCN, Mr Hurley said. He went on: 'If you're thinking about it, just don't park in a way that gets a parking charge. 'If you're really that upset by it, just follow the signs. If the signs are unclear, go and park somewhere else.' He added: 'Parking operators don't want to issue charges. They want people to park where they need to, when they need to.' In the six months to the end of September 2024, car park management companies made 7.2 million requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for vehicle keeper records, which they use to send PCNs. That is up 12 per cent from the same period a year earlier and represents an average of 41,000 requests per day. In the six months to the end of September 2019, the average daily rate was 24,000. The figures are indicative of the number of PCNs being issued by private companies. The IPC insists the jump in tickets is 'directly linked' to the number of UK locations being managed by parking companies being more than five times higher than in 2012, and a 21 per cent increase in the number of registered vehicles over the same period. It emerged last month that many drivers are being sent tickets they claim are unfair because of how some payment machines operate, with one campaigner claiming the devices are 'set up to trap people'. Some machines which require users to input their vehicle registration accept payment after only one letter being entered. This has led to multiple cases of drivers paying the required parking fee but still being sent a PCN when their vehicle was detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Mr Hurley said 'I don't think that's helpful' and revealed he wants to see the issue eradicated as part of payment machine 'minimum standards' being developed by the IPC. He continued: 'I believe that the minimum thing that should happen if you're required to put a registration number in, is you should be required to confirm your registration number before you go on to the payment bit. 'How quickly can that be implicated across 50,000 locations in the country? 'Not overnight, but we've got to take steps in that direction.' 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. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has said it will set out further details on re-introducing the code 'as soon as possible'. Mr Hurley insisted 'there's nobody that's supported the Government more than us in terms of introducing a single code of practice'. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'If private companies really don't want to issue tickets, they should make their signs clearer and easier to understand. 'Avoiding a charge is the opposite of easy in some locations. 'We've heard stories of machines that aren't working, as well as ones that skip ahead to payment after entering one or two numbers or letters, or ones that record different letters to those keyed in. 'The fact remains the Government's code of practice needs to be brought in as soon as possible.' Mr Williams also called for the parking industry to be 'transparent about the number of complaints it receives from drivers who believe they've been treated unfairly'. Parliament will host a Westminster Hall debate on the sector on Tuesday.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
I was fined £250 after hospital parking machine said I didn't need to pay
A motorist faces a £252 parking bill from a hospital visit three years ago – despite being told he did not have to pay. Gordon Clark, 71, and his wife Jennifer visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead on August 12, 2022 to see a friend and stayed for an hour and 13 minutes. They arrived at 6.09pm and left at 7.22pm, but when they entered the registration details of the Renault Captur in the machine Mr Clark said the message displayed on the parking machine read: 'No payment required'. He said he was shocked weeks later to receive a fixed penalty notice charge for £40 from ParkingEye, the company that manages the hospital's car parks using number plate recognition technology. He said: 'I checked the registration with my wife and I inputted the number again and received the same message. 'We left the car park and returned home only to receive a parking charge notice through the post two weeks later. 'I have disputed this with ParkingEye. However, their blind faith in the infallibility of their equipment has kept them pursuing me since, questioning my honesty and integrity. 'My wife and I are both retired and have always paid our dues.' Mr Clark, who worked as a construction consultant, lives in Medburn near Ponteland. He said: 'I have asked ParkingEye to request an explanation from their equipment supplier as to how this has happened and also how many other motorists have experienced the same issue. 'I have never received a response but have instead received many letters stating they maintain their position followed by threatening letters from a third-party debt collection agency and a court letter for over £250 for a less than £3 parking fee. 'As far as we were concerned there was no charge. As a matter of principle, I do not want to pay it. I am absolutely incensed.' Mr Clark said he intends to fight the matter in court if necessary. He said: 'The debt collection agency's language is getting more and more threatening. We don't believe we are alone, there will be other people like us out there. 'I think most people have caved in because they can't be bothered with the hassle. This has caused me a lot of aggro. I am having chemotherapy at the minute and my wife is recovering from major surgery. It is something we don't flaming need. It is so frustrating. I just wish I had taken a picture of the damn thing.' Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said ParkingEye was an independent contractor responsible for managing the parking arrangements on the site. A spokesperson for the trust said: 'While we do not have the full details of Mr Clark's case and so cannot comment on his situation, we are sorry for any distress caused by this issue. ParkingEye is an independent contractor which manages the car parking payment and penalty notice system on our behalf. 'If patients or visitors speak to us about parking issues, we will always try to assist, particularly where people have had problems with the payment system or exemptions. 'Although Gateshead Health is not involved in the operational management or the enforcement of ParkingEye's policies, nor in the issuance of fines, we will offer advice and assistance where possible.' ParkingEye has been contacted for comment but not responded. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
I was fined £250 after hospital parking machine said I didn't need to pay
A motorist faces a £252 parking bill from a hospital visit three years ago – despite being told he did not have to pay. Gordon Clark, 71, and his wife Jennifer visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospita l in Gateshead on August 12, 2022 to see a friend and stayed for an hour and 13 minutes. They arrived at 6.09pm and left at 7.22pm, but when they entered the registration details of the Renault Captur in the machine Mr Clark said the message displayed on the parking machine read: 'No payment required'. He said he was shocked weeks later to receive a fixed penalty notice charge for £40 from ParkingEye, the company that manages the hospital's car parks using number plate recognition technology. He said: 'I checked the registration with my wife and I inputted the number again and received the same message. 'We left the car park and returned home only to receive a parking charge notice through the post two weeks later. 'I have disputed this with ParkingEye. However, their blind faith in the infallibility of their equipment has kept them pursuing me since, questioning my honesty and integrity. 'My wife and I are both retired and have always paid our dues.' Mr Clark, who worked as a construction consultant, lives in Medburn near Ponteland. He said: 'I have asked ParkingEye to request an explanation from their equipment supplier as to how this has happened and also how many other motorists have experienced the same issue. I am absolutely incensed 'I have never received a response but have instead received many letters stating they maintain their position followed by threatening letters from a third-party debt collection agency and a court letter for over £250 for a less than £3 parking fee. 'As far as we were concerned there was no charge. As a matter of principle, I do not want to pay it. I am absolutely incensed.' Mr Clark said he intends to fight the matter in court if necessary. He said: 'The debt collection agency's language is getting more and more threatening. We don't believe we are alone, there will be other people like us out there. 'I think most people have caved in because they can't be bothered with the hassle. This has caused me a lot of aggro. I am having chemotherapy at the minute and my wife is recovering from major surgery. It is something we don't flaming need. It is so frustrating. I just wish I had taken a picture of the damn thing.' We are sorry for any distress Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said ParkingEye was an independent contractor responsible for managing the parking arrangements on the site. A spokesperson for the trust said: 'While we do not have the full details of Mr Clark's case and so cannot comment on his situation, we are sorry for any distress caused by this issue. ParkingEye is an independent contractor which manages the car parking payment and penalty notice system on our behalf. 'If patients or visitors speak to us about parking issues, we will always try to assist, particularly where people have had problems with the payment system or exemptions. 'Although Gateshead Health is not involved in the operational management or the enforcement of ParkingEye's policies, nor in the issuance of fines, we will offer advice and assistance where possible.'
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
'Unfair' charges in Pitsea leave drivers 'scared of parking'
Motorists who have used a car park in Essex say they have been stung with charges for overstaying, even though they insist they left long before their three hours was to the retail park in Pitsea, Essex, have questioned the reliability of the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) James was billed for £100 for a five-hour stay, but she said she had been in the car park for less than an hour, and the experience had left her "really scared to park in any car park".ParkingEye, the company that manages the site, said its ANPR equipment was fully operational but it had cancelled Ms James's bill "as a gesture of goodwill". Ms James, 49, said she arrived at the retail park on 1 November 2024 just before 13:45 GMT and left shortly before 14:30 GMT. She later visited Sainsbury's for 10 minutes at about 19:00 said she had used her Google location records as evidence to try to overturn the charge."I've had one ticket in my whole life and I paid it because I was in the wrong that time, but I'm not paying for something that I didn't do," she said. Another driver, Helen Murphy, said her husband received a letter saying he had parked for about eight hours – something they disputed."Our first reaction was fear," she said. "You think, 'I'd better just pay it'."The couple, who are in their 50s, asked ParkingEye to check its camera, insisting there was no way the car had been there all next communication they received from the company was to tell them the bill had been Murphy said the situation had made her angry "because there will be people who just pay it without question out of fear". A ParkingEye spokesperson said the car park "features prominent and highly-visible signs throughout, providing information on how to use the car park responsibly".They added: "Our operational data shows that on both dates when the respective charges were issued our systems were fully operational with no technical issues. However, following a review we have cancelled both charges as a gesture of goodwill."ParkingEye won a 2015 Supreme Court case after a motorist from Chelmsford claimed that an £85 charge it had imposed was "unfair and disproportionate".However, although the ruling confirmed that such bills were "legally enforceable", the court added that the company could not charge over-stayers "whatever it liked".The judges wrote that a parking company "could not charge a sum which would be out of all proportion to its interest or that of the landowner for whom it is providing the service". How do I appeal against a charge? There is nothing in criminal law to support a charge for parking on private land, says BBC Watchdog's Prof Margaret Griffiths. It is more of a contract – when you park on private land, you are entering into an parking requirements you are agreeing to – such as the permitted length of stay – and the tariffs "must be clearly displayed on a notice", Prof Griffiths said, and cannot be hidden or obscured from view. "If all of that's in place and you've breached the terms, then you can expect to be charged," she what if you get one of these notices when you know you were not in the wrong?"You could have a very strong case for an appeal," Prof Griffiths suggests:Contacting the company at the earliest opportunity to tell them that you're contesting the charge. Asking it to provide proof of its case against you. It's up to the company to prove that you breached the contract. It's not up to you to prove that you didn' your case with photographic evidence. If the meter wasn't working or the signs were not clear, for example, take a you cannot reach agreement with the parking company, you can take your case to an appeals service. The parking company must give you details about how to do this. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
