Dodgy parking enforcement

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I'll try to keep this brief but I park for work where circled in the pic and have done for almost a year. It is a side road on what is a large office estate and provides access to the car park at the top of the pic. There are no markings or signage. Yesterday evening there was a note on my car and all the others parked in a row here, stating that this 'car park' is for use by xxx staff only. My car details had been logged and if I continue parking there TPS will be informed.

I've ignored this and parked there again today as I don't see any indication that they own the road or have authority to restrict parking there. I feel they are trying to scare people off so they can extend their car park. Even if they do own the road then there are ways to control parking there, which I would happily comply with.

I guess I'm just checking in case anybody thinks I've missed something and could find myself with problems by ignoring them. I can't name and shame but the office is occupied by (large household name) Legal Services, so you would think they would know better.

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Aztec West, Bristol

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HantsRat said:

Does your work not provide parking? Where do other employees that you work with park?

As is typical for offices these days, there isn't enough parking for all the staff. Most of us have to find somewhere off site, some use public transport, cycle, etc.

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As I explained in the original post, there is no indication that this is anyone's property. It's a road and the sign at the junction has 2 company names on it and is there to guide visitors to them.

Now, it may be a private road and a simple sign would be enough to send me on my way. The note put on my car was rude, called the road a car park and mentioned a company that I have no reason to know of, or have any idea what they do (though it seems they are probably a parking enforcement firm, possibly the first one they found on google when writing their note).

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hornetrider said:

Ha, I can probably chuck a rock at your car from my window

Not familiar with that bit exactly but it does look like it may be their land. Maybe they have a window permit system for their car park and can ticket cars without it? Have you tried starting/finishing earlier to get a space in your car park?

Got any spare parking? ;-)

I'm one of the first in but there is a permit system with priority to those in greatest need. I'm a contractor so haven't applied.

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hornetrider said:

Can't you just get your pilot to heli you in?

Lol that's what I did before they painted over the helipad to create more parking

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HantsRat said:

If you're a contractor, pay for parking nearby in a public car park. I'm sure there is one. Keep the receipts so you can pay less tax and maybe add the parking charges on to your bill for the company?

There isn't one. Anyway, I'm not stupid so thanks for all the helpful suggestions but you're not going to come up with anything I haven't thought of. I just wanted to check that I'm not in for a nasty surprise IF this does turn out to be a private road. If that is the case then all they have to do is make it clear. As I said, I and others have been parking here for a long time without issue so if they want to change the rules then it's not unreasonable to expect them to do it politely.

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EU_Foreigner said:

Isn't that a clamping sign there in the back?

Yes it is, relating to the car park on the left. Obviously nonsense as they can't clamp but it's obviously a private car park

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Mandalore said:

Your wishing it NOT be private land because that would be inconvenient to you - does not make it so.

To a lot of us, that DOES look to be private land and that is clearly asked for advice that you have deliberately chosen to ignore. Add to that the rude note from the (random) obvious land owner and you should really be seeing a pattern emerging.


But, you can just ignore everyone pointing out that its private lane, if you so wish and let us know how you get on trying to avoid the subsequent repercussions - whilst claiming that nobody told you/you assumed otherwise and hence nobody should fine you.
After all, you never know, one of the people working there might even be active on Pistonheads!

Nonsense rant. I haven't ignored anyone and I have acknowledged that it's possibly a private road but it may not be. It's certainly not clear either way.

What is quite possible is that it's just somebody trying to scare people off, to make more space for themselves, made even more possible by the very unprofessional note. Why would I care if somebody working there is reading this? I may well have this very conversation with them at some stage.

Don't let any of this stop you getting all hot and bothered if that's how you like to fill your day.

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aw51 121565 said:

Visit the local authority website, on there will be some online maps. One of the filters on those maps will be "public & private roads" or "road ownership" or similar. There ye shall find thy definitive answer to your acknowledged question above.

Or you could ring the LA's Highways dept and ask them.

Thanks, had a quick look but couldn't find anything. I think what some may be missing is that this is a very large estate, probably entirely private, owned and managed by some kind of service company (I imagine). Many of the units are rented. I think it's unlikely that the company in question are owners of this bit of road or even responsible for its upkeep, though it's not beyond the realms of possibility. There is a clear distinction between their car park and the road.