Cowboy Parking Fine South Wales

[DMT84]

Can anybody recommend a good solicitor in South Wales to contest a parking fine that has escalated into a possible court hearing?

I'm pretty sure I have an excellent case. No road markings to say I couldn't park where I did and no visible signs to say I couldn't park there either. There is in fact a sign in the car park that I was completely unaware of but it is facing the wrong way and isn't visible from the car park. Details on the sign are very vague also. I have a witness statement also saying that they saw the parking cowboy watch me go into the shop before running over with the parking fine and putting it on my windscreen.

I've had various different letters and threats from different companies, all of which Google quickly tells me are cowboy outfits best ignored.

Any recommendations will be much appreciated

[DMT84]

This is the great think about it, I have been using the car park most weeks for over two years and was blissfully unaware that I was doing any wrong so I don't have to put on an act. The problem is I have never been to court before and would have liked to have had some advice from a solicitor before going. I have plenty of photographs which I intend to have blown up, I also have a video driving into the car park which shows the signs are not in sight. If I was to use a solicitor and win the case I'm assuming all costs would be covered by the other side?

[DMT84]

Well I hadn't given a second thought to who actually owned the land, it is a car park for customers of the various shops there to use. I always stop there to use the subway. It is without doubt private land, but I don't understand why the need to be getting money out of people using the car park. Businesses are no doubt leasing the premises there, and for them to continue to do so they need to be busy. I was spending £20 a week there for two years, and now I've stopped going there. I really cant see what there is to gain from it.

I did ignore a lot of the letters, but only after looking on the internet and finding out that these people are chancers and crooks. But every time I did try emailing them I didn't receive a single response. A letter came from Gladstone solicitors at one point. It looked like a dodgey letter to be honest, faded ink, font too small and the telephone number didn't match the one on Gladstones website. I emailed Gladstones to try and find out if it was genuine but never received a response.

I don't know a single thing about the law to be honest which is why I'd like to get some advice off a legal professional first. What I do know is I was blissfully unaware of any wrong doing because there were no clear visible signs saying I couldn't park there, and no markings on the floor to say I couldn't park there either. My vehicle was far far too big for any of the bays and caused a blatant obstruction to the roadway and where I had it parked was perfectly safe and sensible. Surely any judge would be understanding of this.

[DMT84]

The only sign is pointing in the wrong direction and the font is unreadable from any sort of distance it is that small. Trust me if there was a visible sign I would have seen it. And if I knew I was in the wrong would have coughed up the money. I paid another parking fine not so long ago. Didn't have change to get a ticket, was gone only 5 minutes, took a chance and got caught. Happily paid the fine the same day. Don't mind admitting when I'm in the wrong, but this situation is almost like a deliberate setup to trick people

[DMT84]

I have done a lot of reading on pepipoo it seems like an absolute minefield and I don't really have the time to be doing enough research to be honest. I feel confident enough in going to court and putting my case across but I would like a professional opinion on how successfully they think it could be defended. If I stood a better chance using a solicitor then I would be happy to pay for one. Its not so much about the money (although this does pee me off) but the principal of it. Like I said I'm happy to pay parking fines when I'm aware of any wrong doing but these are underhanded tactics. There are some photos here

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=1101...

[DMT84]

I was outside subway spending money in subway. And no, the signage is not clear, its pointing in the wrong direction.

[DMT84]

When you drive up the road and turn in left the angle of the sign is such that you cannot read it. But it makes no difference the only font that is readable is private car park. It's the same place all large vehicles stop to use subway. I've only parked it in one of the bays to show that it's an obstruction to do so. Also the vehicle is only there because I am spending money. Can't see why that is taking the p***

[DMT84]

Well I was in there less than two minutes and have a witness statement to say he 'ran' over then 'ran' back around the corner as I came back out. I wasn't aware of any ten minutes grace. But neither was I aware I was doing anything wrong

[DMT84]

Yes, usually parked there 5 mins max, into subway, get my sandwich then drive straight off.

Also have another potential issue, the claim form is of real high quality print, but the County Court Crest at the top is a blurry low resolution image and also the county court stamp looks like a bad photocopy with blurred font. This surely wouldn't be the case with official documents???

Edited by DMT84 on Sunday 27th November 16:10

[DMT84]

I've filled in the AOS thingy now so the papers must be genuine.

The Subway is literally on the other side of the road to where I parked.

Didn't even think anything of the company thing to be honest. Maybe I should have in hindsight. Not much good now though because I have responded to parking CSL etc basically saying that it was myself anyway. Worse again is that they've got the company name wrong, albeit by only the first letter ....d'oh