Great news. Smart Parking took over this retail car park six weeks ago and the retail park management company has already decided to end the contract with them. There have been so many complaints to the management company that it is having an adverse affect on business. There are signs in the car park put up by the retail management saying everyone should appeal or re-appeal and that all tickets will be cancelled. I think the management company realize they have got into bed with a money grabbing cowboy firm and now regret it. Thanks for the advice given on this forum. I think the answers to car parking cowboys are political. What is the incentive for these companies to consider an appeal fairly? For the cost of a stamp they can turn down 100% of appeals and threaten to increase the charge if not paid, what have they got to loose - their reputation!! Either people pay up or not but all its costs the company is the price of a stamp.

Thanks again Ericsbrother. You mention parking on different land but this is not the case. The retail park has one large car park and you can park anywhere and pay the 50p and enter your reg number. But if you use the gym in the retail park you use the machine located in the gym, there is no separate land involved. I guess the gym somehow pays for its members using the car park through the gym membership fee? I had pinned my hope on simply putting in the wrong reg by a single digit and the fact that Smart Parking could easily check but chose not to. Are you saying that that this has no chance? I was also hopping that £60 was a penalty as for members of the gym it was free parking?

Thanks ericsbrother. Should I not go to the independent appeals body as I think I have an open and shut case? I'm retired and I don't really want the stress of this hanging over me for weeks and months with various degrees of threatening letters. I just don't believe they can demand £60 for a slip of the finger and surely an independent appeal panel will see this?

Smart Parking have just taken over the parking at the local retail park and the cost is the same as before, 50p for two hours and £1 for 4 hours. They have introduced a new system whereby your reg is photographed on entry and exit and you need to put your full reg into the pay machine and display the ticket. However, if you use the gym in the retail park then there is no charge, there is a Smart Parking computer in the gym where you have to input your reg, but you get no ticket, the message simply says parking validated. I went to the gym but input my reg incorrectly by one digit i.e.64 instead of 63. I subsequently received a fine for £60 reduced to £36 if paid promptly. I appealed stating that I had no intention of avoiding the cost as it was in fact free to park. I pointed out that they could check that I had entered the wrong reg as they could see that on their system and also no car with the incorrect reg had entered or left. I assumed my appeal would be upheld as it seemed a fairly simple mistake that could easily be checked. Of course I left the car park in plenty of time. My appeal was dismissed on the grounds that I had failed to validate the vehicle and the parking charge was issued within the terms and conditions. Can it be that I must pay £60 for car parking that is free to users of the gym just because of an error that can easily be checked? Any views would be appreciated. Thanks for your help in advance.