Parking Charge Notice Dispute Success but I have a Question

[electrobooks]

Hi all,

Really provoking site you have here. I love it.

The little lady recenty got a Parking Charge Notice at a local train station.
We had checked on the Southern train network website and the national rail site and both said that the 'daily' charge was £4.50 or something like that. Neither site mentioned that you needed a permit to park there before 0930 am.

She parked at 0730 and went to the ticket desk where she asked for a daily parking ticket. The guy gave her a ticket in return for the advertised £4.50. She displayed it and then went to work.

When she returned she had a PCN which stated that she hadnt displayed a valid parking permit.
When she looked on the sign she saw that if you park in that car park before 0930 then you need to have a parking Permit. The train station doesnt sell them and both websites dont mention them as they seem to be a fad by the PPC.

We dispuited it on the grounds that the signage was poor and we had checked (albeit electronically) on the tinternet the day before.
The withdrew it but said that it was her fault.
This infuriated me even more as they havent accepted liability for the errors in the websites and the useless staff that they employ.

We have complained to them, trading standards, Southern and Network rail.

Thats the success but but the Parking company (meteor) have said that her vehicle details are on file and if a similar violation comes up again she wont be able to use the same excuse.

I want to know under what law they can retain private information about you and your belongings. Basically I dont care that they have it as we will never use another BR car park and will avoid all Meteor controlled ones but I dont think that they are allowed to store personal information if you ask them to delete it.

We never said that they could store it.

Any ideas??

Thanks

Chris

[green_and_mean]

They can keep the information as long as Data protection laws are followed.

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by green_and_mean

They can keep the information as long as Data protection laws are followed.

Correct. The restriction is on how they process that data and for what purpose. Retaining it for their own use is permissible and they may do so for as long as is neccessary.

[petej2811]

That said they can only process your personal data with your permission.

I suggest you have a read of the Data Protection Act and then write to them when you're au fait with it, requiring them to delete you personal data as you have withdrawn your consent for it to be so processed.

PJ

[electrobooks]

Hi thanks for the replies.

I was just thinking of it from a business point of view as thats all they are they are a business and nothing else.

Being a business owner I know that if someone requests the personal data that I hold about them I HAVE to give it to them. If they ask for it to be deleted then I HAVE to delete it as its their data. But thats from an internet perspective.

If Meteor are saying that they need to keep it to prevent us from trying to use the same excuse again I cant see that as a lawfull reason. Marketing or stats or something maybe but not to try and 'stitch' us up next time we dont see a sign in one of their car parks.

I will have a read of the Data Protection Act and try to challenge them on this. For now we have simply asked them the reason for the retention and the legislation they are using to retain it.

Thanks again,

Chris

[petej2811]

Originally Posted by electrobooks

Hi thanks for the replies.

I was just thinking of it from a business point of view as thats all they are they are a business and nothing else.

Being a business owner I know that if someone requests the personal data that I hold about them I HAVE to give it to them. If they ask for it to be deleted then I HAVE to delete it as its their data. But thats from an internet perspective.

If Meteor are saying that they need to keep it to prevent us from trying to use the same excuse again I cant see that as a lawfull reason. Marketing or stats or something maybe but not to try and 'stitch' us up next time we dont see a sign in one of their car parks.

I will have a read of the Data Protection Act and try to challenge them on this. For now we have simply asked them the reason for the retention and the legislation they are using to retain it.

Thanks again,

Chris

You'll find the Information Commissioner's office quite helpful with this if you catch them on a good day.

PJ