I've been contacted about a C4 documentary

Merlin5

Merlin5

Merlin5

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Finchley, London
I posted on pepipoo last month to get some assistance about a £100 Parking Eye ticket that my mum's friend got when he drove her to the local barnet hospital, even though she displayed her blue badge. She has always displayed her blue badge without issue whenever he or myself have taken her there, so it was a surprise when her friend received the parking charge notice. I did my own investigation and discovered this: http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/...les__treat_able_bodied_better_than_disabled_/

Turns out blue badge holders have to now register their badge on arrival, which she and many others weren't aware of. They only introduced it in September.
I went to the hospital myself to look at the new signs which were not very large or obvious. Went to reception and a woman gave me the number of Parking Eye head office. Long story short, I got it cancelled without too much hassle. \o/ This was without pepipoos help but had it not been cancelled, they were ready to help me with the next step of taking it to popla.

Got a pm today which reads:

Dear Merlin,

I work for a company called Snapper TV and we're making a Channel 4 documentary about private parking companies and the multi-million pound parking enforcement industry. We're very interested in how such companies operate in hospitals around the country and what happens when a charge is issued.

I'm sorry to hear about your mother's experience at Barnet Hospital on Pepipoo. The ParkingEye system which has just been installed there is one which we are very interested in investigating. I would be very grateful if I could speak to you about what happened to your mother in more detail.

At the moment I am just doing background research so a telephone conversation would be great. My contact details are below.

Kind regards and I hope to hear from you."


Guess I may as well give her a call tomorrow.:)
 
Seems backwards to me (though probably someone abusing the system or something has caused it) kind of flies in the face of the whole idea of having disabled parking and making it easier for those with disabilities.
 
Btw, in fairness to pepipoo, they did initially help by composing a first appeal for me which I printed to paper and gave to my mum's friend to send them. It went like this:

"Dear Sir or Madam,

I am the Registered Keeper of the vehicle with registration mark XYZ and can confirm I am in receipt of your speculative invoice.

Please note I wish to appeal this on the following basis.

1. The sum sought is not representative of any losses suffered by the landowner and in any case not representative of any losses suffered by you.
2. You will not have sufficient landholder rights to offer parking and to pursue this charge.

Should you not cancel this charge I expect you to issue me with the means to refer the matter to independent arbitration.

Note that should I not receive a reply within a reasonable period I will assume you have decided to cancel this charge.

Yours faithfully,

XYZ
Registered Keeper"

By the time I rang them, they'd already sent a reply to the driver turning that appeal down. Fortunately, my persuasive ways charmed the female I spoke to and she cancelled it. :D
 
Rroff said:
Seems backwards to me (though probably someone abusing the system or something has caused it) kind of flies in the face of the whole idea of having disabled parking and making it easier for those with disabilities.
Click to expand...
I sometimes take relatives to that Hospital so just had a look.

Parking Eye offer their parking solution for free to the Hospital and pass on parking ticket revenue. The only revenue ParkingEye receives is penalties*. This being the case implementing a fair and clear system directly contradicts their interests. Disabled people will have to register as there are no wardens to check badges. ANPR is used to log vehicle movements.

Parking Eye issued £1 million of fines across three hospitals in Northumbria NHS in the year before the system was scrapped due to the weight of compaints.

* It could be the case they check the ANPR logs and pocket the difference if a motorist pays up front for say 3 hours but only stays 2.
 
Channel 4 documentary? They want you?

So you must be a fat, benefits scrounging, alcoholic 'lad', who wears football shirts all day every day.

Right? :p
 
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