NCP Car Parks

[inshalah]

Last week I was driven to a shopping area and used a PRIVATE NCP car park, We obtained a ticket and drove in, we found a Disability Parking Area and I displayed my Blue Disabled Badge on the Dash Board. When we returned to the car, a Fixed Penalty Notice was attached to the windscreen, stating I was liable to a £100 charge because the Badge date had expired. The date had expired without me noticing, and Social Services are now arranging a replacement.

 

Can NCP really apply this charge. Have they any right in law to enforce such a charge/

 

The NCP note says. Parking Contravention Charge Notice

[DBC]

Did they actually call it a "fixed penalty notice" or a "parking charge notice"? If it was a private car-park and not a council one, then the blue badge scheme does not apply and you can ignore .

[Surfer01]

Another case of a PPC trying to take advantage of the vulnerable!

[renegadeimp]

Private car park ran by a private company usign the word "charge" = ignore.

[Dublindel]

If you phone NCP to pay the charge, you will find that they refer to it as a 'penalty notice' in the automated options

[renegadeimp]

Doesnt matter what the phone says. It's what the ticket and signs say.

[Dublindel]

In that case it doesn't matter what the ticket and signs say either. To appeal to POPLA would give instant cancellation.

[Surfer01]

In that case it doesn't matter what the ticket and signs say either. To appeal to POPLA would give instant cancellation.

I don't think NCP have contracts to manage their own car parks. The operative word is actually "Parking" and not "Charge".

[inshalah]

Dublindel. What is POPLA?

[renegadeimp]

http://www.popla.org.uk/

[DBC]

It's a so-called "independent" appeals service. their findings are binding on the parking company, but not on the driver.

[Dublindel]

The best way to handle a PCN at the moment is in 3 steps. Step 1. Appeal to PPC (you will not win). Step 2 Appeal to POPLA (thier decisions are still being tested so to early to say, but let's assume you lose again) Step 3 Send a CEASE & DESIST letter to PPC instructing them to seek damages through the courts. Also inform them thay further letters from them will be charged for at, let's say £20. By doing the 3 steps, you have followed reasonable protocol and a court will more lily to be on your side.