Thread: Train Station Car Park - Charge Notice

Hi, I've taken a look at few similar threads and found some really interesting detail. Here's my story:

I bought a 3 day car park ticket at the station ticket office yesterday. This morning, I forgot to put it in my windscreen. Tonight I got back to the car and had a lovely yellow plastic pack on the windscreen stating:

"Parking Notice Enclosed"

"Warning"

"It is an offence for any person other than the driver to remove this notice".

Inside was a "Notice Issued by CP Plus Limited"
"£50 CHARGE NOTICE".

It's got the obvious registration, vehicle and other stuff and states that the car was seen at the car park not displaying a valid pay and display ticket, pemit or voucher.

It states:

"IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT RELATING TO PARKING AS DETAILED ON THE SIGNS, A CHARGE OF £50.00 IS NOW DUE FOR THE FOLLOW REASON: (as above...no ticket displayed).

There's no mention of the bye laws on the notice.

The signs state the car park is private property. But not who owns it. I'm assuming it's the rail company and I've written to them tonight asking them for details of who owns and operates the car park.

As I've actually paid for the parking and have a credit card receipt and the actual parking ticket am I going to get any joy out of this?

I've not written or acknowledged anything with the company who issued the notice.

Thanks for any advice.

If it transpires that this is a PPC invoice, not covered by the railway byelaws then you should do nothing and ignore everything they send you. I suspect it isn't a byelaws fine as this should be clearly shown on the ticket. Best if you can scan it and post a copy on here for the CAG ticket experts to view (after removing all your personal details from show).

Here's the ticket, front and back.

scan0002.jpg

scan0001.jpg

The station was Worplesdon, near Guildford.

not bylaws. usual advice applies.

Apologies on the size...hopefully this works better. Thanks.

[problem]

Ignore. Do not pay. Ignore threatening letters. Sleep easy at night etc. etc.

Originally Posted by lamma

not bylaws. usual advice applies.

lamma, thanks. Being a bit paranoid: If the railway does own the car park, I'm assuming the bylaws apply. Or is it purely down to the fact that the notice they left me makes no mention of them that I can follow the usual advice and ignore anything and everything they send me.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Al27

[problem]

Ignore. Do not pay. Ignore threatening letters. Sleep easy at night etc. etc.

I'm liking the advice. I was getting paranoid about the "bylaws" complication I'd read about in other posts.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by old_andrew2007

You are correct when you say you need to discover if the carpark is owned by the rail company, and also if there are bye laws covering its use.
It is quite possible that the enforcment company are employed by the rail company and as such may be entitled to collect this fee.
Are you willing to say with station you were parked at.

Andy

Andy, I just re-read this. I'm going to take a good look tomorrow and get a pic of the signs. SWT have said it can take 20 days to respond. Is it your opinion that if they own the car park, and have contracted these goons, and the signs quote the right legislation, that the notice is legitimate? If so, what's the likely outcome.

Seems my paranoia is not quite done yet.

Cheers.

It doesn't matter who contracted them to patrol the car park (unless it was a council which this clearly isnt) , the fact would still remain that this invoice is privately issued and not supported by any law or byelaw.

It is a PPC invoice and therefore should be treated for what it is, a [problem], and duly ignored.

this isn't a bye law ticket.

Yet to see a byelaw ticket that was issued by anyone other than an actual rail company.

There's also some scope for appeal with a proper ticket. Last year someone sent a polite letter to Northern Rail and they halved the fine. Not perfect, but at least it was something.