Bradfield Road car park (Hillsborough) - charges and "fines"

[Ms Interpret 10]

My POPLA appeal was rejected last year, since then I have had various letters demanding increasing sums and then about four months ago I had a letter saying if I didn't pay up within four weeks they would take me to court, I'm still waiting. Will let you know if I hear anything further

Yep me too I had to pay up by the 11th Aug and they quoted the court case which was upheld. I wrote to them saying bring it on even if they win they wont get much out of me as I am on a pension so will offer one pound a month !!

[TheBlueDragon 10]

They have declined my appeal and say I must pay. Isn't it free for blue badges?

[Eater Sundae 12]

They have declined my appeal and say I must pay. Isn't it free for blue badges?

 

Surely it's free for everyone. Isn't the issue whether or not you exceeded the allocated time.

[Trishmorri 10]

I've been issued with a parking fine for parking my car in the bradfield road car park at Hillsborough, I always thought it was 2 hours and admittedly I did go over by 11 minutes.

As an older lady I did have a bit of a wait at the pharmacy in boots and don't have a rush in me I'm afraid but £85 for an extra 11 mins ??? On a pension I don't have that kind of money to spare so god knows what I'll do, has anyone else had the same problem

[macmellus 10]

Is it a private car park?

[Trishmorri 10]

No everyone uses it to go shopping in hillsborough

[sgtkate 10]

No everyone uses it to go shopping in hillsborough

 

They mean, is the car park run by the council or a private company? The 'fine' you received, look at it CLOSELY...did it come from Sheffield Council or a private company? Is it a Penalty Charge Notice or a Parking Charge Notice? There is a HUGE difference in your next advice depending on whether it's a council issued fine or not.

[Trishmorri 10]

It's from highview parking not sheffield city council and its a charge notice

[sgtkate 10]

It's from highview parking not sheffield city council and its a charge notice

 

Ok, then it's not a fine. It's an invoice. The difference is important. There is an excellent guide here on what to do now:

 

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/parking-tickets/

 

Basically:

 

- Did you get a letter in the post or was it a ticket on the windscreen? If it was a ticket on the windscreen, do NOTHING at this stage until you receive a letter. Some of the car park operators do not have the legal right to retrieve your details so have no means of contacting you or sending you an invoice. If you right to them then they get your details so do NOT send them anything until you get a formal letter sent to your address.

 

- Once the letter arrives or now if you already have a letter, formally appeal to the parking company stating something along the lines of 'you used the businesses that the car park serves, spending x amount of money and if this ticket stands you will no longer use those shops etc.' Could try contacting the shops too and see if they can cancel the ticket. Say if the ticket is not cancelled that you wish to review the case to the IAS or POPLA and demand the case reference number.

 

- If they refuse to cancel at this stage then use some or all of the following when it goes to the appeals court:

 

•Did you see the signage?

•Was the signage clear (e.g. legible, written in plain English)?

•Were you the driver?

•Were the markings clear?

•Were the parking rules reasonable?

•Is the amount be requested reasonable for the contravention?

•Were you entitled to park in the disabled bay?

•Do you own the parking space?

•Does the parking company have the right to offer parking?

 

- If the appeals service refuse then you still don't need to pay unless the parking service decide to actually take it to court. Few do but if they do it is important that you prepare a case properly and it may be worth getting proper legal advice at that point.

 

There is a company (I have no connections with them nor have ever used them so cannot vouch for them in anyway. Do your research first!) who claim to have a very good success rate in getting tickets cancelled http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/appeal-service/

 

Hope that helps.

[carosio 186]

some info here:

 

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/highview-parking/

 

Highway are members of the BPA which specifies grace periods for people to leave the park after the time allotted and this appears to be 10mins:

 

13 Grace periods

13.1 Your approach to parking management must allow a

driver who enters your car park but decides not to park,

to leave the car park within a reasonable period without

having their vehicle issued with a parking charge notice.

13.2 You should allow the driver a reasonable ‘grace period’

in which to decide if they are going to stay or go. If the

driver is on your land without permission you should still

allow them a grace period to read your signs and leave

before you take enforcement action.

13.3 You should be prepared to tell us the specific grace

period at a site if our compliance team or our agents ask

what it is.

13.4 You should allow the driver a reasonable period to leave

the private car park after the parking contract has ended, before you take enforcement action.