Avoid the Welcome Break Michaelwood services

[neilloggie]

From bits i have just read on the web you are probably better off writing to them and say i did not notice the notice as i was tired and can i pay my £10?

or take a look at this.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/nov/02/roadchef-parking-fine-cp-plus

http://www.appealnow.com/

[frostypaw]

I meant fighting a battle when you are in the wrong from the off. I've no problem with fighting your corner if hard done by

[hedgepeg]

got to love this greedy little society we live

[ancient_one]

I almost fell foul of this little scam myself on the way back from Glastonbury. I ended up stopping for just short of 2 hours at the services on the M42, and then drove to the next one to stop for another 2. As I drove past yet another "Tiredness Kills" sign, I thanked Costa/M&S/Waitrose/Star*ucks etc for helping so much with this...

Edited July 13, 2013 by ancient_one

[formed a band]

Yeah while we are at it, thanks to m and s . It's great seeing them at the services. I can eat something decent instead of Burger King etc

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Ok well for example while I look forward to what tomorrow might bring you waste time fighting a parking ticket

[Morse Code]

Yeah while we are at it, thanks to m and s . It's great seeing them at the services. I can eat something decent instead of Burger King etc

[Random Circle]

I am proper revving up for Les Relais Routieres for my French trip later this year. 4 courses with wine and coffee for £12ish? Get right in!

http://www.relais-routiers.com/

[Joeskeppi]

What a stupid rule, would they prefer people drove on the road tired?

[Apone]

There is a different- usually, private parking tickets mean nothing and you can ignore them (I'm on a forum where hundreds of members have) but if it's a penalty charge (issued by a council I think), then that's different.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Didnt say dont do anything to resolve this, there are ways and means, appealing your case, making an offer etc etc. but certainly DO NOT ignore it like your some kind of Mway anarchist. The bailiffs will come knocking, that is assured whether its private or council enforced parking restrictions, and it could be a long time after the event (2-3 years) when your least expecting it, thats probably why your forum buddies think they have got away with it. But ignore it if you do wish your plasma TV,

iPad and laptop to be confiscated.

[incident]

Didnt say dont do anything to resolve this, there are ways and means, appealing your case, making an offer etc etc. but certainly DO NOT ignore it like your some kind of Mway anarchist. The bailiffs will come knocking, that is assured whether its private or council enforced parking restrictions, and it could be a long time after the event (2-3 years) when your least expecting it, thats probably why your forum buddies think they have got away with it. But ignore it if you do wish your plasma TV,

iPad and laptop to be confiscated.

Edited July 14, 2013 by incident

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

The company Welcome Break employs to dish out these fines is called Parking Eye. They are BPA (British Parking Association) approved operators. As they are within this governing body you can appeal any parking fine via the Popla (Parking on Private Land Appeals) process - website here;

www.popla.org.uk

If you appeal for free to them then Parking Eye have to pay £32.40 to even begin to fight your appeal. So they are £32.40 down and know that you are an awkward bastard whose willing to fight. They also know that if you stick to your guns and create a lot hassle for them that they are going to use up a lot of further expense in admin time.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Yoghurt on a Stick

[formed a band]

French services are excellent. A good tip is always to eat at French train stations too

[markeee]

abiut what i expect

[rischbrit]

Have a look at parking eye on money saving expert forum. Lots of advice on there telling you how not to pay especially the main one is that they can not prove who was driving your vehicle!!!

[Englishdragon]

As others have said DO NOT PAY IT!!!!! It is not legally enforceable in anyway.

Yes it was your vehicle that was parked there and they have illegally accessed DVLA database to do this!!!! But can they prove you we're driving it???.

Also they will send various letters threatening you with solicitors court action debt collectors etc and will even ask for you to call them to discuss payment terms but if you ignore it they will eventually give up!!!!!

Edited July 14, 2013 by Englishdragon

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

. Why do people feel they can do what they what and ignore rules.

[snow_rock_ne]

The two main points people usually use to contest this are that the parking agency needs to prove that they have the contractual right authorised by the land owner to issue charges (they can rarely provide this evidence) and that the notice is actually a penalty(only local authorities and the police have the right to issue penalty notices) as it is disproportionate to the original charge of 10/12 pounds. As people have advised ignore the letters until the unlikely event they provide you with a court date. The law that was changed two years ago means that the owner is liable if the driver cannot be identified, it doea not change the fact that the entire process is flawed and laregly unenforceable.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

The two main points people usually use to contest this are that the parking agency needs to prove that they have the contractual right authorised by the land owner to issue charges (they can rarely provide this evidence) and that the notice is actually a penalty(only local authorities and the police have the right to issue penalty notices) as it is disproportionate to the original charge of 10/12 pounds. As people have advised ignore the letters until the unlikely event they provide you with a court date. The law that was changed two years ago means that the owner is liable if the driver cannot be identified, it doea not change the fact that the entire process is flawed and laregly unenforceable.

[ancient_one]

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of paying/avoiding the fine, how about adding your names to this -

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/52688

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I lent my car to someone recently and they picked up one of these service station charges for over parking beyond the free limit. They want me to identify the driver so that they can charge them £60, a figure which will rise to £100 if the £60 isn't paid within 14 days. I could play this the easy way and tell them the truth that the driver was an American who, as I write, is on her way home to the States. However, I'm going to check out the advice given above (including my own) to see how it pans out. I'm more than convinced I can create enough bureaucracy as to make the eventual pursuing of this money not economically viable. I love challenges like this. They actually make me happy. I don't suppose many people feel that way about getting a parking charge.

[grumpyhack]

Isn't another way forward to leave the motorway and find somewhere else to stop?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

Isn't another way forward to leave the motorway and find somewhere else to stop?

[Guest]

As an aside, I stopped at this service station on the way to Glastonbury this year. Hunter (the wellie people) had a big van and were giving out new wellies in return for people's old ones. So if you thought you saw an unusual number of red/orangey coloured wellies this year this was probably one of the sources. I didn't have a set of old wellies so asked them would they just give me a pair free. They indicated that they would not. Bastards. I was going to put them on ebay and sell them too.