Athena ANPR PCN - overstay - Edmonton Lidl **WON CANCELLED BY CEO**

[sakachmi]

Hi,

Just in need of some help with a parking charge received from Athena ANPR Ltd. 
Parked in a Lidl carpark and didn't scan the receipt to register vehicle details before leaving shop/carpark - this means the the free parking time was only for 10mins instead of 90mins, but shopped for 1hr 6mins, therefore exceeding this by 56mins.
 

For the last few months, this particular store did not require drivers to register vehicle details due to COVID-19 (staff have been saying it for ages and machines wouldn't allow details to be entered), and so I didn't even look at the machines to be honest and just left the store. Obviously the normal system has been reintroduced but have no idea when it started up again as I have been several times leading up to the date of infringement without any previous fines.

 

Any advice about how I could go about getting this cancelled? 

Can this charge be enforced?

 

I have answered the questionnaire below and attached pdf of the letter.

Thanks,
sakachmi

 

1 Date of the infringement

09/09/2020
 

2 Date on the NTK [this must have been received within 14 days from the 'offence' date]

11/09/2020
 

3 Date received

14/09/2020
 

4 Does the NTK mention schedule 4 of The Protections of Freedoms Act 2012? [Y/N?]

No
 

5 Is there any photographic evidence of the event?

Yes, entry and exit photos
 

6 Have you appealed? [Y/N?] post up your appeal]

No
 

Have you had a response? [Y/N?] post it up

N/A
 

7 Who is the parking company?

Athena ANPR Ltd
 

8. Where exactly [carpark name and town]

Lidl Edmonton, London

 

 

For either option, does it say which appeals body they operate under.

IAS

 

 

Parking Charge Notice - Athena ANPR Ltd.pdf

[sakachmi]

Hiya,

 

Yes, was shopping in Lidl and thankfully found the receipt.

 

Thanks,

sakachmi

[sakachmi]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies/advice. 

I sent an email to the CEO, so will give an update about this once I get a response.

[sakachmi]

Ok, the email address bounced back for the CEO and when searching online for Chris Hartnagel, it gives [email protected], which I emailed on 18th Sept and haven't received a response as yet. I also sent info through to Lidl Customer Services via the online contact form and have received an acknowledgement email from them, followed up by another email today basically saying they are very busy and it will take longer to get a reply, so either wait for reply or telephone if urgent 

 

Today I did another search about ceo's email addy and found a post from a different forum website - with a successful outcome! - (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5996157/win-against-lidl-eastleigh-and-athena-apnr), with what appears to be the correct email address: [email protected].

I have re-sent the email just now and it hasn't bounced back as "rejected", so fingers crossed will hear back fairly soon. I will be sure to give an update on here when/if I eventually get one.

 

Also, I had another question, looking at some of the older posts about this same topic there are several where a 3 hour parking restriction from the Council is mentioned, is this time frame something that is standard/the norm for most Council's?

I have had a look at the planning permission from Enfield Council and there doesn't seem to be anything I can find that refuses or overrides Lidl's outlining of the parking duration and costs that will be charged by Athena ANPR Ltd (attached documents).

 

 

TP_85_1476_DP3--1224952 - Lidl Paking Supporting Information.pdf TP_85_1476_DP3--1224955 - Enfield Council Approval Decision.pdf

[sakachmi]

So after sending the email to CEO, the ticket has been successfully cancelled - result!

 

My original email:

 

Dear Mr. Christian Hartnagel,

 

Re: Parking Charge Notice No: 0 XXX XXX XXX
Vehicle Registration: XXXX XXX
Issue Date: 11/09/2020
Entered Car Park: 09/09/2020 @ XX:XX:XX
Exited Car Park: 09/09/2020 @ XX:XX:XX
Athena claim an Overstay of 56mins.
Photo attached of the receipt valued to your company as sales of £24.77.

I am writing as the registered keeper of a car in reference to Athena ANPR Ltd's Notice to Keeper (ref: X XXX XXX XXX).

 

The vehicle was parked in the car park of your Edmonton store on Thursday 9^th September 2020, while the driver was doing their shopping inside said Lidl store. After they paid for their shopping, they unfortunately did not enter the vehicle registration details into the parking machine before leaving the store/car park. The registering of vehicles’ details has not been required for the last few months during the COVID-19 crisis, and so, this instance was unintentional. Had a member of staff mentioned that normal parking procedure had resumed, the driver would have inputted the vehicle information as was done prior to the COVID-19 changes.
 

As a result of this, Athena ANPR Ltd has issued a civil parking charge notice without any consideration of the situation.

 

The driver has been to your shop in Edmonton store to try and get the issue resolved but was advised to get in touch with Lidl Customer Services. So far getting a response from Customer Services other than an acknowledgement, has been rather difficult.
 

The driver is a valued and loyal customer and this is very unfair, and therefore I, as the registered keeper, kindly ask that you instruct Athena ANPR Ltd to cancel this parking charge notice.
 

Kind regards,
Mr XXXXXXX

 

And I just got this reply: 

 

Dear Mr. XXXXXX Our Ref: XXXXXX

Re: Your Contact Thank you for taking the time to contact our CEO. I have been asked to reply on his behalf. I was sorry to learn that you received a parking charge. I appreciate this may have been frustrating for you. Lidl is a national retailer. As such, we have stores in locations with limited parking space and in common with many of our competitors, our store car parks are abused to a significant and detrimental extent. We have therefore judged it necessary to take measures so that our stores parking facilities are available first and foremost to our customers. In order to ensure that sufficient parking spaces are available at all times to our customers, Lidl employs third party contractors to monitor and control our car parks. So far, this service has proved reliable and effective in reducing car park abuse and in freeing up spaces for our customers. In light of your comments, on this occasion only, I have requested that the parking charge is cancelled. Athena will confirm the cancellation in writing in due course. Thank you again for contacting us.

Yours sincerely, For and on behalf of Lidl Great Britain Limited Kayleigh Hogg Customer Service

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If this ever happens again, I will make sure to always go via CEO route and make sure receipts are kept.

Thanks to everyone for your help with this  

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