I have 22 parking fines from APCOA
Discussion
cheesesliceking said:
Pica-Pica said:
New car parks are more than likely to have been bought by a loan, not from the tax-payer, then paid back via parking income. Hospitals mainly get their income from Clinical Commissioning Groups, who pay given tariffs for specific procedures (and outcomes).
Here is the wrong place for OP to ask. As others have said go through line-management/union/estates.
Sounds like someone is familiar with Commissioning.Here is the wrong place for OP to ask. As others have said go through line-management/union/estates.
I’m in the middle of a similar situation with the same company.
Last week I received 3 tickets from them. I bought 5 day parking pass at my local station on the Monday, put my private plate on retention on Tuesday as I was selling the car and swapped the plates over straight away as per the DVLA instructions.
I left the parking permit in my window every day along with the DVLA paper work to show the plate change and thought nothing of it. Now I realise they have installed sneaky ANPR cameras and all 3 tickets came from them.
I’ve appealed all 3 but haven’t heard back yet.
Last week I received 3 tickets from them. I bought 5 day parking pass at my local station on the Monday, put my private plate on retention on Tuesday as I was selling the car and swapped the plates over straight away as per the DVLA instructions.
I left the parking permit in my window every day along with the DVLA paper work to show the plate change and thought nothing of it. Now I realise they have installed sneaky ANPR cameras and all 3 tickets came from them.
I’ve appealed all 3 but haven’t heard back yet.
Just installed those nasty ANPR cameras at work, expect as my hours are odd and they have to book the car in every day within 1/2 hour at the reception who is not there that I will get the odd ticket. I like to find out where the directors live and send any complaints to their home address. They tend to listen to that way David Ian CARRUTHERS is the dude you are looking for. Will be around Surrey no doubt and a tad internet shy.
matjk said:
What would these car parks do if people started covering their number plates on entry and exit. I assume it’s all automated and an optical recognition camera just reads the plate. Or do they have operators watching the CCTV , I doubt it.
The clue is in the 'A' bit of the name, they are automaticI sometimes wonder what would happen if you changed a letter or two with insulation tape just before you got to the camera......
Cheers
It does happen - I've had a few of my fleet stopped by the police with altered plates 0 to 8 is a popular one, as well as O to D with a piece of black tape.
The police do have better statutory powers to deal with it, and usually there is a more sinister motive behind it than avoiding a parking ticket.
The parking companies will still issue it to the owner of the cloned plate which also indicates that the PPCs don't check them prior to being sent out.
There was one a few weeks back - a picture of a Vauxhall Astra (2005-2010 model), but the plate was for one of our 18 plate Ford Transits. The description on the parking charge also said Transit. It was still sent out. I still had to jump through the hoops to get it cancelled.
Also another which was misread that we spent ages to rectify - The vehicle plate ended in JVY and could be seen on the photo.
The police do have better statutory powers to deal with it, and usually there is a more sinister motive behind it than avoiding a parking ticket.
The parking companies will still issue it to the owner of the cloned plate which also indicates that the PPCs don't check them prior to being sent out.
There was one a few weeks back - a picture of a Vauxhall Astra (2005-2010 model), but the plate was for one of our 18 plate Ford Transits. The description on the parking charge also said Transit. It was still sent out. I still had to jump through the hoops to get it cancelled.
Also another which was misread that we spent ages to rectify - The vehicle plate ended in JVY and could be seen on the photo.
matjk said:
What would these car parks do if people started covering their number plates on entry and exit. I assume it’s all automated and an optical recognition camera just reads the plate. Or do they have operators watching the CCTV , I doubt it.
I've seen the surfer dudes do this at the Fistral beach car park.matjk said:
What would these car parks do if people started covering their number plates on entry and exit. I assume it’s all automated and an optical recognition camera just reads the plate. Or do they have operators watching the CCTV , I doubt it.
I know someone who does exactly that. He’s never had a ticket.Kuji said:
No. You are pathetic.
OP, whilst I am sure that they will let you off (based on personal experience of changing a vehicle mid-permit), you shouldn't really blame them for the fact that you did nothing about it for so long.
Most companies would seem to have a process around changing vehicles, that involves a temporary permit. but, you need to tell them first.
Call it quits... You're both pathetic... OP, whilst I am sure that they will let you off (based on personal experience of changing a vehicle mid-permit), you shouldn't really blame them for the fact that you did nothing about it for so long.
Most companies would seem to have a process around changing vehicles, that involves a temporary permit. but, you need to tell them first.
speedking31 said:
elanfan said:
DO NOT admit you were the driver.
If he wasn't the driver then the car was parked unauthorised in the staff car park and would be subject to ticketing anyway
OP how are you getting on with this.
I work for the NHS and frequently visit 2 separate hospitals who's patient and staff car parks are both managed by APCOA and their ANPR system. I am charged for the days I park at either site and charges are taken out of my wage prior to it getting to my bank. The pay-as-you-park system is the standard way of charging staff across all NHS/APCOA sites, to keep fees "fair" for part-time staff who earn less and community based staff (who may only require a car on days they are required to do site visits).
In my case, ANPR cameras are at the entrances to all staff car parks as well as the main entrance. I can only gain access once the ANPR camera to the car park has confirmed my car is registered else the barrier stays closed. On occasions where I am in a different car, I have to buzz security and confirm the details of the registered car, why I am in a different car, and some other basic security checks which means I am still charged for these days. It's unlikely that they will accept the reason that someone else was using the car because if that was the case, then they will argue that they shouldn't be parking in the staff car park anyway.
It sounds like your hospital has the ANPR cameras at the entrance only, and APCOA officers roam the car park checking for permit disks, which would explain why they are sending FPNs to the registered keeper and you have been able to park unhindered so far. I'm sincerely hope they let you off and just charge you the standard fee for the 22 days you've had free but, unfortunately, it's more likely you'll still be fined (although not nearly as much as the £1k you are thinking it will be). There was a story in the newspapers a while ago similar to yours, although in his case, he was deliberately negligent by ignoring the letters and it was over a few months rather than a few days. He ended up having to pay a substantial amount (will try and find link).
Remember APCOA are charging you but are only working under the instructions of the hospital. It sounds like a genuine mistake, and there will be someone you can speak to (by that I mean, speak to someone employed by the NHS, not APCOA) who can get this overturned or reduced. I hope you get a favorable outcome OP.
In my case, ANPR cameras are at the entrances to all staff car parks as well as the main entrance. I can only gain access once the ANPR camera to the car park has confirmed my car is registered else the barrier stays closed. On occasions where I am in a different car, I have to buzz security and confirm the details of the registered car, why I am in a different car, and some other basic security checks which means I am still charged for these days. It's unlikely that they will accept the reason that someone else was using the car because if that was the case, then they will argue that they shouldn't be parking in the staff car park anyway.
It sounds like your hospital has the ANPR cameras at the entrance only, and APCOA officers roam the car park checking for permit disks, which would explain why they are sending FPNs to the registered keeper and you have been able to park unhindered so far. I'm sincerely hope they let you off and just charge you the standard fee for the 22 days you've had free but, unfortunately, it's more likely you'll still be fined (although not nearly as much as the £1k you are thinking it will be). There was a story in the newspapers a while ago similar to yours, although in his case, he was deliberately negligent by ignoring the letters and it was over a few months rather than a few days. He ended up having to pay a substantial amount (will try and find link).
Remember APCOA are charging you but are only working under the instructions of the hospital. It sounds like a genuine mistake, and there will be someone you can speak to (by that I mean, speak to someone employed by the NHS, not APCOA) who can get this overturned or reduced. I hope you get a favorable outcome OP.
Edited by Hazuki on Monday 20th May 16:02
Never underestimate the pettiness of hospital parking enforcement. I work as a nurse and pay for parking out of my salary. I have to display a disc when parked. So far nothing unusual.
A few years ago I was sent a "failure to display" notice. And a few months later got a nice letter demanding money from Trethowans. They even sent me a nice photo of my car.
The failure to display was because the windscreen was covered in snow and the parking enforcement officer could not see my disc. Despite me having a valid disc, despite proof of deduction from salary this went on for several months with increasingly large sums being demanded and the tone of the letters becoming more threatening.
My employer said it was between me and Trethowans. Funny that when I offered to speak to the local paper the ticket was rescinded "as goodwill."
I'll post the pictures when I'm back at work, for all those asking for custard, please don't laugh at the 04 plate Primera!
SD.
A few years ago I was sent a "failure to display" notice. And a few months later got a nice letter demanding money from Trethowans. They even sent me a nice photo of my car.
The failure to display was because the windscreen was covered in snow and the parking enforcement officer could not see my disc. Despite me having a valid disc, despite proof of deduction from salary this went on for several months with increasingly large sums being demanded and the tone of the letters becoming more threatening.
My employer said it was between me and Trethowans. Funny that when I offered to speak to the local paper the ticket was rescinded "as goodwill."
I'll post the pictures when I'm back at work, for all those asking for custard, please don't laugh at the 04 plate Primera!
SD.
babelfish said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
ToastedDrive said:
So i work at a Hospital for the NHS and i have to pay for a parking permit each month which automatically comes out of my wages. The car park is owned by APCOA and it is an ANPR camera one. I basically bought a new car 4 weeks ago and never updated my car registration for my parking permit
Well done for working in such an important sector. How on earth did you forget such a basic piece of admin?ChocolateFrog said:
How does it work if you have 3 or 4 cars/bikes and you fancy taking the convertible on a nice day or your regular breaks down for example.
So glad I'm retired.
Wife is a nurse and when we had heavy snow took our Land Rover picking up a couple of colleagues along the way who otherwise wouldn't have got to work So glad I'm retired.
She pays to park and had a swipe card to access the car park
Guess what???
She now has a sickie when it snows, far less hassle
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