Drivers win ninety per cent of parking fine appeals against car park operator that buys their details from DVLA
Our findings suggest parking operators attempt to cash in by handing out tickets frivolously after buying motorists’ names and addresses for just £2.50 each
DRIVERS won ninety per cent of parking fine appeals against a car park operator that buys their details from the DVLA.
Motorists lodged 1,067 complaints about tickets issued by Indigo Solutions, which runs hospital, station and university car parks across the country.
And drivers won the backing of independent assessors in nine hundred sixty one cases, saving themselves a total of about £50,000.
Another eight hundred forty two appeals were withdrawn by the motorist or Indigo, which recently won a court case leaving seventy five Cardiff hospital staff owing £68,000.
The Sun on Sunday’s findings suggest parking operators attempt to cash in by handing out tickets frivolously after buying drivers’ names and addresses for just £2.50 each from the DVLA.
Our investigation comes after Tory MP Master Greg Knight vowed last week to crack down on the “bully boy” operators.
DVLA £3k chill class
THE DVLA spent thousands of pounds on sending staff on a drama course, it has emerged.
It blew £3,120 on the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art session, to help “understand the importance of relaxation”.
It included theatre-based exercises in which participants were encouraged to “realise the utter potential of the figure and voice while communicating”.
The figure emerged in a list of the DVLA’s spending over £500.
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The DVLA released 1.74million private records inbetween April and June, up by two-thirds on the same period last year.
It charges a total of £1.5million a month for providing out the information.
But our figures display half of all appeals referred to the Parking on Private Land Appeals ombudsman were upheld or withdrawn.
Other firms lost out. Park Direct failed on sixty two per cent and Liberty Services fifty five per cent.
Euro Car Parks lost on fifty two per cent and UK Parking thirty seven per cent.
The figures might have been even higher but operators withdrew thousands more cases before a ruling.
The RAC’s Steve Gooding said: “Drivers might be forgiven for suspecting that some companies are attempting it on.”
Tormentor Greg said: “There are some firms who play by the rules but others are making lives a misery.”
The Department for Communities and Local Government said it was “committed to reforming unfair parking practices”.
It's time to end parking industry's self-regulation
By Tormentor Greg Knight, Tory MP
MOTORISTS are being ripped off by unscrupulous private parking firms who smack tickets on windscreens often without a 2nd thought.
The thought of returning to your car and witnessing a £60 fine left by bully-boy attendants fills us with fear.
Many have just been to visit an ill relative in hospital or popped to the shops, and pay up so the horrible practice just goes away.
Figures earlier this week displayed a big rise in the number of times parking firms asked the DVLA for driver details at a cost of £2.50 a time.
There is no way this can be put down to bad parking alone – leaving many motorists being hounded for their cash.
I am disgusted that companies seemingly build parking ticket charges into their business plan, on top of the parking ticket, suggesting they have targets to reach.
There are clearly some firms who play by the rules, but others are making lives a misery.
The Sun on Sunday investigation shows just how many appeals are upheld or withdrawn once they reach an independent appeals panel.
These big parking firms bear minimal cost for fighting an appeal, but individual complainants often have to spend hours packing in forms to avoid a fine.
As the Parking on Private Land Appeals annual report shows, the process is supposed to look at the issue based on the strength of the evidence, so it is always worth appealing.
In one firm’s case, motorists’ appeals were upheld in nine out of ten cases.
This is why I will urge colleagues from across all parties in the Commons to back my private members’ bill to end the industry’s self-regulation.
I want a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities that completes the hounding of law-abiding drivers.
Drivers win ninety per cent of parking fine appeals against car park operator that buys their details from DVLA
Drivers win ninety per cent of parking fine appeals against car park operator that buys their details from DVLA
Our findings suggest parking operators attempt to cash in by handing out tickets frivolously after buying motorists’ names and addresses for just £2.50 each
DRIVERS won ninety per cent of parking fine appeals against a car park operator that buys their details from the DVLA.
Motorists lodged 1,067 complaints about tickets issued by Indigo Solutions, which runs hospital, station and university car parks across the country.
And drivers won the backing of independent assessors in nine hundred sixty one cases, saving themselves a total of about £50,000.
Another eight hundred forty two appeals were withdrawn by the motorist or Indigo, which recently won a court case leaving seventy five Cardiff hospital staff owing £68,000.
The Sun on Sunday’s findings suggest parking operators attempt to cash in by handing out tickets frivolously after buying drivers’ names and addresses for just £2.50 each from the DVLA.
Our investigation comes after Tory MP Master Greg Knight vowed last week to crack down on the “bully boy” operators.
DVLA £3k chill class
THE DVLA spent thousands of pounds on sending staff on a drama course, it has emerged.
It blew £3,120 on the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art session, to help “understand the importance of relaxation”.
It included theatre-based exercises in which participants were encouraged to “realise the utter potential of the assets and voice while communicating”.
The figure emerged in a list of the DVLA’s spending over £500.
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The DVLA released 1.74million private records inbetween April and June, up by two-thirds on the same period last year.
It charges a total of £1.5million a month for providing out the information.
But our figures display half of all appeals referred to the Parking on Private Land Appeals ombudsman were upheld or withdrawn.
Other firms lost out. Park Direct failed on sixty two per cent and Liberty Services fifty five per cent.
Euro Car Parks lost on fifty two per cent and UK Parking thirty seven per cent.
The figures might have been even higher but operators withdrew thousands more cases before a ruling.
The RAC’s Steve Gooding said: “Drivers might be forgiven for suspecting that some companies are attempting it on.”
Tormentor Greg said: “There are some firms who play by the rules but others are making lives a misery.”
The Department for Communities and Local Government said it was “committed to reforming unfair parking practices”.
It's time to end parking industry's self-regulation
By Tormentor Greg Knight, Tory MP
MOTORISTS are being ripped off by unscrupulous private parking firms who spank tickets on windscreens often without a 2nd thought.
The thought of returning to your car and observing a £60 fine left by bully-boy attendants fills us with fear.
Many have just been to visit an ill relative in hospital or popped to the shops, and pay up so the horrible practice just goes away.
Figures earlier this week showcased a massive rise in the number of times parking firms asked the DVLA for driver details at a cost of £2.50 a time.
There is no way this can be put down to bad parking alone – leaving many motorists being hounded for their cash.
I am disgusted that companies seemingly build parking ticket charges into their business plan, on top of the parking ticket, suggesting they have targets to reach.
There are clearly some firms who play by the rules, but others are making lives a misery.
The Sun on Sunday investigation shows just how many appeals are upheld or withdrawn once they reach an independent appeals panel.
These big parking firms bear minimal cost for fighting an appeal, but individual complainants often have to spend hours packing in forms to avoid a fine.
As the Parking on Private Land Appeals annual report shows, the process is supposed to look at the issue based on the strength of the evidence, so it is always worth appealing.
In one firm’s case, motorists’ appeals were upheld in nine out of ten cases.
This is why I will urge colleagues from across all parties in the Commons to back my private members’ bill to end the industry’s self-regulation.
I want a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities that completes the hounding of law-abiding drivers.