2 Car parks, very similar names, both NCP, separate tickets

[omniflow]

I'd be interested in people's opinions of the following:

There are 2 NCP car parks in Cheltenham, both on North Place. Literally on opposite sides of the street:

Portland Street Car Park
Portland Gates Car Park

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.9037578,-2.07255...

A ticket for one car park is not valid in the other car park.

The NCP Parkpass App doesn't do a very good job of working out which car park you are in (probably not helped that I'd started to walk into town whilst buying my ticket).

Whilst the signage and their rules have NCP "in the right", I do think it smells of underhand practices.

Yes, I did get caught. I'm not trying to wriggle out of anything, I just wanted to whinge on here.

[SydneyBridge]

Are the prices the same for both?
Not that it probably makes any difference

[xx99xx]

How is it underhand? Presumably you bought a ticket for the wrong car park?

[SimpleSimonSays]

I’ve made this mistake in the same car parks - I wrote NCP a grovelling letter apologising and saying that I’d been stupid and clicked on the wrong car park, and they sent me back a stern letter saying that on this one occasion they’d let me off as they could see that I had paid for parking, but if I did it again there would be trouble!

It’s worth a try, good luck…

[119]

The parking sign would have the correct id number on it for the app.

[bristolracer]

Try an appeal.
I had a similar thing with Kensington and Chelsea council, I’d put in the wrong zone number. I appealed and they allowed it as I had payed for parking but just got the wrong zone.
Don’t ask, don’t get and all that

[omniflow]

xx99xx said:

How is it underhand? Presumably you bought a ticket for the wrong car park?

I used the Parkpass app, provided by NCP. It told me I was in car park B, when I was actually in car park A. Given that the names of the car parks are pretty similar, and they are both on the same street, I didn't notice.

When I tried to use the Shell Go+ App on the M3, and there were 2 Shell garages on opposite sides of the road, it refused to work, saying it couldn't be certain which garage I was at. Whilst annoying, that is slightly more responsible than selling a ticket for the wrong thing.

[NFT]

omniflow said:

xx99xx said:

How is it underhand? Presumably you bought a ticket for the wrong car park?

I used the Parkpass app, provided by NCP. It told me I was in car park B, when I was actually in car park A. Given that the names of the car parks are pretty similar, and they are both on the same street, I didn't notice.

When I tried to use the Shell Go+ App on the M3, and there were 2 Shell garages on opposite sides of the road, it refused to work, saying it couldn't be certain which garage I was at. Whilst annoying, that is slightly more responsible than selling a ticket for the wrong thing.

Seems only fair they let you off any penalty for non payers if you paid to park, but was on the wrong side of the road in error, app or otherwise.

[TonyF1]

I had something similar with a car park having a dedicated EV area within a car park in Bath. The app was poor and the car park locations truncated. Picked wrong one but here’s the kicker. I couldn’t buy a ticket for the other area as the EV ticket couldn’t be cancelled in app and they disallowed duplicate tickets for same time and same registration number regardless of location

[Tony1963]

In the Cattle Market car park in Bury St Ed’s I use RingGo, and even though it’s a large car park, the app still shows the surrounding car parks as well. You’d think with almost pinpoint accuracy of gps and cell triangulation they’d be able to pick the non multi-storey you’re in the middle of. Thankfully I’ve been lucky so far.

[carl_w]

xx99xx said:

How is it underhand? Presumably you bought a ticket for the wrong car park?

But if the two car parks are the same price, what loss have they suffered?

Definitely worth an appeal

[Tony1963]

My thoughts always go out to the ever increasing older population when it comes to this sort of tech. They can drive around ok, maybe live in a village that has zero public transport, and maybe live alone so going to town a couple of times each week might be the only social contact they have.
And then they’ve faced with this sort of obstacle course for the mind. It just isn’t fair on them.

[bristolracer]

I’ve never understood why they charge you more for using the app.
No cash to handle
No ticket printers to refill/break down
It can be policed by anpr
Yet it costs more?

[Bill]

omniflow said:

I used the Parkpass app, provided by NCP. It told me I was in car park B, when I was actually in car park A. Given that the names of the car parks are pretty similar, and they are both on the same street, I didn't notice.

It's their issue then, surely?

[vikingaero]

My Dad used a NCP car park. All machines out of order - cash or card. Only other way to pay is to download the app or phone which an 85 year old isn't going to do. Parking invoice arrives, I decline to name the driver but offer to pay the parking fee. This is declined. Popla appeal submitted which costs NCP £25 and upheld. fk 'em.

[The Gauge]

Tony1963 said:

My thoughts always go out to the ever increasing older population when it comes to this sort of tech. They can drive around ok, maybe live in a village that has zero public transport, and maybe live alone so going to town a couple of times each week might be the only social contact they have.
And then they’ve faced with this sort of obstacle course for the mind. It just isn’t fair on them.

Makes you wonder what kind of new virtual reality/AI tech obstacles we will face in old age

[Tony1963]

The Gauge said:

Makes you wonder what kind of new virtual reality/AI tech obstacles we will face in old age

I’m 60 at the end of the month, I’ll let you know

[Rhyss]

Few years ago i had 3 PCN from NCP for this exact problem. Granted the pins for both car parks were on top of each other at the time.

I appealed and also contacted the development team for the app explaining what happened with references to PCN and my receipts.
They were cancelled the following day.

Was a few years ago mind.

[Rhyss]

bristolracer said:

I’ve never understood why they charge you more for using the app.
No cash to handle
No ticket printers to refill/break down
It can be policed by anpr
Yet it costs more?

Most NCP car parks are cheaper when using the app. Usually considerably so.

[SydneyBridge]

I use Ringo, which is a 3rd party app so suppose they need to make some money