UKPPO CCTV Capture PCN - Parked in Electric Bay - Tesco Express 212 Manchester Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8PZ.

[Hair Bear]

Hello

I've got a parking ticket,

I've been parking at a particular corner in a small Tesco car park for years.

Recently they put two electric charging plugs, one where that spot is and one at the bay next door,

I stopped using them out of courtesy in case they need to be used (I use that Tesco every day and drive past every day but have yet to see anyone use them).

Recently I went back to Tesco when it was reasonably dark.

All the bays were full, including the three blue badge bays.

I have one but none of the cars parked in the bays did, I noticed as I walked past them (nobody ever gets pulled for that because Tesco have never policed this small car park before).

Since there was two free electric bay spaces, and since I wasn't going to be long (just one product), I parked into my former 'regular' spot.

There was a notice on the wall but if I'm honest I didn't read it because

(a) I'm thick, and

(b) I honestly thought it was just telling people how to use the device (like I said, I'm thick) rather than this being a parking fine.

I went back during daylight and the sign is very obvious (as you can see from the picture), although not so obvious at night, although probably still obvious enough for you to tell me "tough luck, pal".

Now they want £100 or £60 if I pay quickly.

Am I doomed?

docs 1.pdf

[Hair Bear]

It reads...

"Issued date: 9th April 2024"

"Incident Time/Date:  19:49  31/03/2024"

Blue badge was showing (you can see it in the centre of the window).

I was there for about three minutes (would have been much less if not for a queue).

I needed to get one item for my disabled daughter who was with me.

You can just make out the first time on the top right of the first picture (19:49.48secs) when I was driving into the bay but yet to park,

on the second picture just before I set off to leave it it 19:53 and 12secs.

With that in mind, the time they give, which seem to say I was there between 1852 and 1949, is completely wrong, because the first photo they have says 19:49.48 and yet that photo shows i wasn't actually yet in the bay.  

Thank you so much, both of you.

since this is still a little double dutch to me I'm hoping that you and lookinforinfo can mutually decide on a way forward for me.

[Hair Bear]

1 Date of the infringement 31st March

2 Date on the NTK [this must have been received within 14 days from the 'offence' date] PCN is dated 9th April

3 Date received 13 April

4 Does the NTK mention schedule 4 of The Protections of Freedoms Act 2012? [Y/N?] Yes the PCN has this written on the 3rd paragraph first page 

5 Is there any photographic evidence of the event? The PCN has two photos

6 Have you appealed? [Y/N?] post up your appeal] No

7 Who is the parking company? Uk Parking Patrol Office ltd

8. Where exactly [carpark name and town] At the (small 'local') Tesco Express in Kearsley, in one of the electric charging bays. Address is 212 Manchester Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8PZ.

For either option, does it say which appeals body they operate under. It says appeal to parking-tickets.co.uk, and if that is unsuccessful you can try Independent Appeals Service

 

2024-04-09 UKPPO PCNfor Incident 2024-03-31.pdf

[Hair Bear]

Thanks everyone. Will speak with the manager first chance I get later today and let you know.

Unfortunately for me I'm going to have to go with plan B.

I spoke to the manager this morning, who was very sympathetic but politely let me know that they were on rented ground and he had no control over the two bays.

He promised to ring corporate to double check, and having taken my number just got back to me now.

He said he was correct in saying there's nothing he or anyone at Tesco could do about my situation, but as a result of my being stung for a couple of minutes, corporate agree that they needed to reassess the future of their carpark with the landlord.

I guess that's some sort of victory, but I'm afraid I'm coming back to the well to ask you guys how I should word this appeal, please?  

[Hair Bear]

Yes, it is just for Tesco.

But as that manager explained, those two spaces on that ground are now rented by the electric company.

Quote

"What appeal?  Private parking companies never, ever, ever accept appeals - ever."

What is my next move then, please?

Just wait for them to issue me with whatever it is they issue, and then what? 

[Hair Bear]

Thank you as always. Okay, will contact Tesco and will ignore the appeal, and will let you know what happens. You guys are superheroes.

[Hair Bear]

I emailed both. Tarry's came back "Please note that I have now left the business. Please contact Matthew Barnes ([email protected])  going forward" so will send to him.

[Hair Bear]

FTMDave - your cold light of day suspicions are correct, alas. Just had this back...

Thank you for your email.
I was very sorry to learn that you recently received a parking charge notice after shopping at our Kearsley Manchester Rd Express store. I appreciate this is always frustrating, especially as you'd just nipped in for the one item.

I've had a look, and I can confirm that in this case the car park at this store is entirely owned by a third party - it is not owned or operated by Tesco in any way. The parking charge issued is on behalf of that third party, although I appreciate it does state Tesco on the letter.

Regrettably as the car park is owned and operated by a separate company we don't have any form of influence or control over the parking charges issued. In this case, I can only recommend that you follow the appeals process outlined on the letter directly to take the matter up with UKPPO directly.

I'm sorry that I cannot offer further help in this case. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me again should you require anything further. 

Kind regards

Ewan Kelly

Customer Service Specialist

On behalf of the Chief Executive’s Office

[Hair Bear]

I'm always up for a fight against injustice, but as I look back through the thread I'm thinking that the natural order of events is that they first send a Letter of Claim.

Since I'm assuming that if I ignore them they will 100% proceed to this, why not (as lookinforinfo suitably put it) 'send a suitably snotty letter' now (without saying who was driving)? Or is it that in many cases if you ignore their initial PCN they go away anyway, so better to simply wait it out? 

As ever, thank you for helping.

[Hair Bear]

I feeling very humbled by EVERYONE taking time to respond to me, thank you. On balance it seems the best bet is to wait it out. Cheers.