One of my drivers has just been sent a penalty notice saying he was parked for nearly 14 hours in a Morrisons car park during his regular Friday night shift

It seems that he dropped a family member off there before coming to work and on his way home uses the traffic lights at the entrance to gain access to the road where he lives (there is no direct turn off the dual carriageway but it can be accessed from the lights controlling the exit as these allow cars to access the southbound carriageway) somehow they managed to photograph his number plate turning on this junction and assumed he was leaving their car park ! Surprise surprise it is one of these car parking companies called parking Eye. I have written them a letter and hopefully they'll drop it because I have plenty of drivers and customers who would be able to confirm he was actually driving around Stamford all night !

I get one or two a year.

Just appeal online saying you are a cab driver that picks up a number of times at that venue and an error has occurred.

In my case they always cancel the ticket, maybe I'm lucky, but if they don't cancel it appeal via POPLA or the other one (think it's the IPS).

Just chuck it in the bin, nothing they can do anyway powerless

Is the wrong answer.

Why?

In the last couple of years, court claims in the parking industry have gone through the roof.

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 allowed PPCs to hold the driver OR the keeper liable and established and industry funded appeals system. POPLA enables motorists to kill these things off with the right arguments. However, although the BPA managed to convince the government at the time that there would be a fall in cases going to court, they have in fact multiplied a hundred fold. No longer is it recommended to ignore these things. You are risking a CCJ by so doing.

http://www.pepipoo.com and http://www.moneysavingexpert.com both have well established advice forums.

Additionally, numerous blogs and websites keep track of and report on the industry: Parking Prankster, Parking Cowboys, BMPA are among the most prominent.

It is my belief that, as professional drivers, we should be professional in our diligence and learn all we can about the law as it may affect us.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't put your head in the sand and attempt to ignore these tickets. Take the initiative and kill them at source. If you don't, you could find yourself in court at any time over the next six years. If you move house in the meantime, you won't even know about a CCJ until you want credit. ie, changing your car!!!! The industry is made up of charlatans and bottom feeders. Don't feed them!!!!!

One of my drivers has just been sent a penalty notice saying he was parked for nearly 14 hours in a Morrisons car park during his regular Friday night shift

It seems that he dropped a family member off there before coming to work and on his way home uses the traffic lights at the entrance to gain access to the road where he lives (there is no direct turn off the dual carriageway but it can be accessed from the lights controlling the exit as these allow cars to access the southbound carriageway) somehow they managed to photograph his number plate turning on this junction and assumed he was leaving their car park ! Surprise surprise it is one of these car parking companies called parking Eye. I have written them a letter and hopefully they'll drop it because I have plenty of drivers and customers who would be able to confirm he was actually driving around Stamford all night !