Hospital anxiety complex.

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Jun 16, 2020
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Not sure why you would need civil law as no crime has been committed? The ANPR does not work for BB holders as daughter found out when taking OH to visit a supermarket. A real hassle getting them to cancel the invoice and had to resort to threats. ANPR has numerous drawbacks when it comes to holders of a BB.
When I go into town I usually find on road parking. But a friend has just told me I can use the APNR car parks. He would use these by going to the office each time. But he has just received a sticker which affixes to his badge and he scans this each time.

I have just applied for one myself. It could be the same in your local authority.

John
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Not sure why you would need civil law as no crime has been committed? The ANPR does not work for BB holders as daughter found out when taking OH to visit a supermarket. A real hassle getting them to cancel the invoice and had to resort to threats. ANPR has numerous drawbacks when it comes to holders of a BB.
ANPR can work well for Blue Badge holders as long as you've pre-registered all car registrations that the holder might travel in - at least it works well in SE Staffordshire!
 
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Nov 16, 2015
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By coincedence we are visiting people in the south about 30mins drive from Bedford. We offered, yesterday, to collect some medication from Bedford Hospital as the multi-million pound NHS IT system can't send the prescription from the Hospital to the pharmacy which is a 5 minute walk away from where we're staying.

We drove to Bedford, which was like visiting another planet after life on Skye. Got within sight of the hospital and its car parkk but got in the wrong lane and had to go around the block. I'm sure we past the Great Wall of China but maybe it was just the all you can throw up chinese buffet.

On getting back to the hospital we queued in the road outside waiting to get in. Once actually in the car park it was still a queue as folks were waiting for someone to vacate a space. Mrs. V had already got out to go to the pharmacy dept. After about 15 mins someone came out of a space and I went in. In was in about 10cm of water but just clear where my door was.

As its Pay and Display I phoned Mrs. V to see what progress she'd made and was told it could be a 50min wait or more. So, I duly paid and displayed at £4 for 2 hours. Got out of the car to go and meet her and guess what - she was just coming out complete with medication. £4 for about 5 mins use of an actual parking space.

As we left I offered the ticket to the person eager to take my place - no reg number on it. For some reason they said no.
You should have contacted myself, I would have rented you a parking slot on my driveway 20 minutes away.
I went to Bedford hospital for a Blood test , paid the £4 for parking, only to be told it was at Bedford North, 20 minutes drive across the town.
Grrrrr
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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When I go into town I usually find on road parking. But a friend has just told me I can use the APNR car parks. He would use these by going to the office each time. But he has just received a sticker which affixes to his badge and he scans this each time.

I have just applied for one myself. It could be the same in your local authority.

John
However there should be no need to do this if you had a BB. It is the way the PPC is making extra money by not having someone patrolling around.

I have been told that even if the car is registered with disabled VED they still issue the ticket even though the BB was displayed. This then stresses out the person with the BB who has to resolve the issue. Not fair to that person.

If using a pay council park to save the hassle we pay for our parking as less stressful and cost is normally under £3 for a 2 hour stay.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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However there should be no need to do this if you had a BB. It is the way the PPC is making extra money by not having someone patrolling around.

I have been told that even if the car is registered with disabled VED they still issue the ticket even though the BB was displayed. This then stresses out the person with the BB who has to resolve the issue. Not fair to that person.

If using a pay council park to save the hassle we pay for our parking as less stressful and cost is normally under £3 for a 2 hour stay.
There's a government edict that hospital parking should be free-of-charge to Blue Badge holders (and some other groups) but it's up to the hospital and their parking contractor how that's implemented.

We get sent to various hospital trusts for different conditions - the Derby & Burton NHS Trust operates an ANPR-based system so simply registering my car, and my familys, I get free parking - in contrast the Birmingham NHS Trust requires the entry ticket to be presented at the office to allow exit without charge.

Like any car park, the T&Cs need reading.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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There's a government edict that hospital parking should be free-of-charge to Blue Badge holders (and some other groups) but it's up to the hospital and their parking contractor how that's implemented.

We get sent to various hospital trusts for different conditions - the Derby & Burton NHS Trust operates an ANPR-based system so simply registering my car, and my familys, I get free parking - in contrast the Birmingham NHS Trust requires the entry ticket to be presented at the office to allow exit without charge.

Like any car park, the T&Cs need reading.
However on some occasions one does not have the time or opportunity to read unenforceable T&CS in a hospital car park managed by a PPC. Unfortunately I have been in the situation previously and over stayed the proverbial 3 hours. Strangely I never got a ticket probably due to covid.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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On a side note and not to do with hospital parking, yesterday late afternoon there was an accident on the M5 resulting in roads in Worcester becoming grid locked as traffic was diverted.

It was taking people over 2 hours to leave the hospital car park. Obviously ambulances had great difficulty transversing the city to get to the hospital. Daughter did not get home till late last night as could not get out of Worcester.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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However on some occasions one does not have the time or opportunity to read unenforceable T&CS in a hospital car park managed by a PPC. Unfortunately I have been in the situation previously and over stayed the proverbial 3 hours. Strangely I never got a ticket probably due to covid.
Of course T&Cs are enforceable - a hospital car park is private property so they can impose T&Cs.

The 3 hour limit, applicable to Blue Badges in England & Wales (no time limit in Scotland) only applies to on-road parking, ie on the public road network - on private property or council car parks then the T&C apply.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Of course T&Cs are enforceable - a hospital car park is private property so they can impose T&Cs.

The 3 hour limit, applicable to Blue Badges in England & Wales (no time limit in Scotland) only applies to on-road parking, ie on the public road network - on private property or council car parks then the T&C apply.
You need to agree to the T&Cs for them to be enforceable. PPCs like to imposed a 3 hour limit for BB holders, but again unenforceable. Best is never to push your luck and sue common sense.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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You need to agree to the T&Cs for them to be enforceable. PPCs like to imposed a 3 hour limit for BB holders, but again unenforceable. Best is never to push your luck and sue common sense.
By parking on the private land you have accepted the terms and conditions.

“When you enter a car park, you are entering a legally binding contract and by parking there, you are agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions. If a motorist has breached those terms, by say staying beyond their purchased time, a parking operator will have reasonable cause to request the registered keeper details of the vehicle from the DVLA and issue a PCN. Contrary to Penalty Charge Notices issued by a council, PCNs are not issued under statutory authority and should not be considered a ‘fine’. They are instead issued due to a breach of contract and are enforceable under contract law, potentially leading to County Court proceedings if they remain unpaid.”
 
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Jun 16, 2020
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A few years ago I parked in a large car park using the blue badge area. The car park was less the 20% full. I simply forgot to put my badge in the windscreen. I got a ticket.

People tell me they would not be able to enforce it. But I payed the £80 . The T&C’s were clearly posted and it was clearly me that failed to follow them.

John
 
Jun 20, 2005
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A few years ago I parked in a large car park using the blue badge area. The car park was less the 20% full. I simply forgot to put my badge in the windscreen. I got a ticket.

People tell me they would not be able to enforce it. But I payed the £80 . The T&C’s were clearly posted and it was clearly me that failed to follow them.

John
Hope you weren’t cheated John? Most of these rogues offer a pretty good discount if the charge is paid within,7 days.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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A few years ago I parked in a large car park using the blue badge area. The car park was less the 20% full. I simply forgot to put my badge in the windscreen. I got a ticket.

People tell me they would not be able to enforce it. But I payed the £80 . The T&C’s were clearly posted and it was clearly me that failed to follow them.

John
It would have been worth appealing the ticket - I've done that twice, once forgetting to display and once showing the wrong side - in both cases a polite appeal accepting the error was mine and giving full badge details resulted in the tickets being withdrawn - although on another occasion I got a ticket as I didn't bother to read the T&C as Blue Badges holders were still chargeable - so I paid up!
 

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Sep 7, 2020
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You should have contacted myself, I would have rented you a parking slot on my driveway 20 minutes away.
I went to Bedford hospital for a Blood test , paid the £4 for parking, only to be told it was at Bedford North, 20 minutes drive across the town.
Grrrrr
How irritating is that. :)
 
Jul 18, 2017
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By parking on the private land you have accepted the terms and conditions.

“When you enter a car park, you are entering a legally binding contract and by parking there, you are agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions. If a motorist has breached those terms, by say staying beyond their purchased time, a parking operator will have reasonable cause to request the registered keeper details of the vehicle from the DVLA and issue a PCN. Contrary to Penalty Charge Notices issued by a council, PCNs are not issued under statutory authority and should not be considered a ‘fine’. They are instead issued due to a breach of contract and are enforceable under contract law, potentially leading to County Court proceedings if they remain unpaid.”
I am sorry, but they need to prove that you read and agreed to their T&Cs. However if are you happy to be ripped off by a PPCs for an easier life then so be it as no skin off my nose. LOL!
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I am sorry, but they need to prove that you read and agreed to their T&Cs. However if are you happy to be ripped off by a PPCs for an easier life then so be it as no skin off my nose. LOL!
I guess I’d better tell Citizens Advice that they are giving misleading information. The Scottish one tells a similar tale too. Perhaps if it gets as far as a court you might have difficulty convincing them that you weren’t aware of any terms and conditions. Civil cases are all based on probability and you might have an equally difficult job convincing them of your ignorance of parking T&C.

I really don’t get why you think I’m being ripped off by PPCs. I just pay the parking fee, make sure I’m within the lines and don’t overstay. Where’s the rip off?
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I guess I’d better tell Citizens Advice that they are giving misleading information. The Scottish one tells a similar tale too. Perhaps if it gets as far as a court you might have difficulty convincing them that you weren’t aware of any terms and conditions. Civil cases are all based on probability and you might have an equally difficult job convincing them of your ignorance of parking T&C.

I really don’t get why you think I’m being ripped off by PPCs. I just pay the parking fee, make sure I’m within the lines and don’t overstay. Where’s the rip off?
I never said either CAB have got it wrong, but why are so many people able to successfully challenge these invoices issued by a PPC and win?

As said your choice and by the way not parking related, but CAB got it horribly wrong for us by giving us totally incorrect advice which may have cost us thousands of pounds. Luckily we got the correct advice from Which Legal Services.

It is up to the individual to decide what they should do to avoid hassles.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I never said either CAB have got it wrong, but why are so many people able to successfully challenge these invoices issued by a PPC and win?

As said your choice and by the way not parking related, but CAB got it horribly wrong for us by giving us totally incorrect advice which may have cost us thousands of pounds. Luckily we got the correct advice from Which Legal Services.

It is up to the individual to decide what they should do to avoid hassles.
This might explain why few ever get to court. I once got hassled by debt collectors for a £5 payment to Timex who had replaced a failed travel clock which should have been gratis. What hassle that kicked up. I didn’t pay anyway.

 
Nov 6, 2005
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I am sorry, but they need to prove that you read and agreed to their T&Cs. However if are you happy to be ripped off by a PPCs for an easier life then so be it as no skin off my nose. LOL!
If the signs showing the T&C aren't readily visibly then that's a defence if they take you to court for non-payment - but not if you simply didn't read them or read them, didn't agree but parked there anyway.

NHS trusts can't afford to provide totally free car parks on their land - so they sub-contract to a PPC and take a portion of the income - penalty charges are high to deter users from trying to freeload.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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If the signs showing the T&C aren't readily visibly then that's a defence if they take you to court for non-payment - but not if you simply didn't read them or read them, didn't agree but parked there anyway.

NHS trusts can't afford to provide totally free car parks on their land - so they sub-contract to a PPC and take a portion of the income - penalty charges are high to deter users from trying to freeload.
The car parks at hospitals have never been free since the year dot as it was the taxpayer that paid for the car parks and now we are having to pay for them again except that this "tax" ends up in the pockets of a PPC! :mad:
 
Nov 6, 2005
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The car parks at hospitals have never been free since the year dot as it was the taxpayer that paid for the car parks and now we are having to pay for them again except that this "tax" ends up in the pockets of a PPC! :mad:
It might be interesting if you did a Freedom Of Information request to your local NHS Trust to find out how much of the parking income they receive - it doesn't all go to the PPC.
 

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