Parking at Scunthorpe

[mattco]

Any suggestions re parking at Scunthorpe.  I've heard that if you park at the ground t's a real hassle getting out.  Are there any local alternatives?

[stuey]

The last few times I've been, I've used the club car park (about £3 I believe). It's a bit slow getting away but not too bad.

[RobTheRover]

I've only parked there once (the 3-1 win with the team with David Roche and Jamie Lawrence in it, so mid-90s) and it took about an hour to get out.  Last time I went there we parked in the Supermarket over the road, but I'll bet they now have parking restrictions in there.

[RedJ]

Tesco car park, isn't too much of a walk if I remember rightly.

[RoversAlias]

It can take ages to get out (not a patch on the wait to get out of Oakwell though!) but there is a Tesco nearby as Rob said plus there's some fast food outlets. Not sure what their parking is like, if any.

[RobTheRover]

Tesco has a huge car park, and we parked there with no issues last time.  Worth checking for parking restriction notices though.

Google streetmap might show if there are any (if the imagery is recent enough)

[Crowle Rover]

There are signs up in Tesco saying a maximum of 3 hours  free but then it states a £70 charge after this.

I went to Glanford Park about a month ago as my son was playing a 5 a side match at half time.

£3 official car park and fairly easy to get out. Mind you,they were playing Crawley so not a massive crowd as opposed to next Saturday.

[Filo]

There are signs up in Tesco saying a maximum of 3 hours  free but then it states a £70 charge after this.

I went to Glanford Park about a month ago as my son was playing a 5 a side match at half time.

£3 official car park and fairly easy to get out. Mind you,they were playing Crawley so not a massive crowd as opposed to next Saturday.

The tesco signs are from a Private Parking Company, the speculative invoices (tickets) that are issued are not worth the paper they are written on, wheel clamping is now illegal, so it`s all down to your will power in ignoring the letter chain when they try to extort money out of you

[jonnydog]

There will only be Rovers fans there and maybe 7 Scunny fans so needn't worry

[barber2384]

there isnt just tesco there though, doesnt anyone know whether there are any rules on the other retail stores

[The Mighty Brian Rowe]

Living in the 'grey area' of Epworth I'm often at that bleeding Tesco 

There are signs up on both Tesco's and the retail park but don't know how rigorously it's enforced. A few years back they did have portable signs in the middle of the access road and a bloke stood there checking cars (presumably for scarfs, colours etc) but haven't seen this done for a good few years now.

There is still parking at the other side of the M181 roundabout but as has been said before just be careful where you put it.

On a more serious note, does anyone know if the boozer next to ground will allow Rovers fans in as usual. Had a good couple of hours in there last time before the 12.00 kick off. Calm the nerves and all that... 

[barber2384]

Living in the 'grey area' of Epworth I'm often at that bleeding Tesco 

There are signs up on both Tesco's and the retail park but don't know how rigorously it's enforced. A few years back they did have portable signs in the middle of the access road and a bloke stood there checking cars (presumably for scarfs, colours etc) but haven't seen this done for a good few years now.

There is still parking at the other side of the M181 roundabout but as has been said before just be careful where you put it.

On a more serious note, does anyone know if the boozer next to ground will allow Rovers fans in as usual. Had a good couple of hours in there last time before the 12.00 kick off. Calm the nerves and all that... 

so is it just worth paying £3 then

[The Mighty Brian Rowe]

Personally I think you'll find somewhere for free providing you're through early enough (2pmish)

[The L J Monk]

Looks to be free parking just off Scotter Road (right off Berkeley Circle if you're coming from Tesco way, then first right on to Moors Road). Ten minute walk from the ground.

[DonnyHodge]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

[Filo]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

[The Mighty Brian Rowe]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

[Filo]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

[donnievic]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

how do you work that one out

[The Mighty Brian Rowe]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

how do you work that one out

Maybe there's different rules in Stainey... Any Horse and Cart caught doing over 25mph is liable to get pulled 

[benaldo]

One Scunthorpe match I parked in tesco's opposite and was shocked to find a £50 charge notice on my windscreen when I got back to the car. I duly rang the number and the person on the other end was actually very helpful. Long story, involving lies about child custody, mcdonalds, and prison sentences, and denial of even attending the "crappy Donny football game" but I got off the fine. The parking guy told me that on match days they are "actively vigilant" (I think was his term) about ticketing cars. They also, allegedly, have the full backing of Tesco - so their parking charges DO apply through law.

For those wishing to test these legal claims...good luck. For my money, I'd go up to Berkley circle (the roundabout towards town), turn right, take your first right into the estate, and use the cut through by the garden centre to walk the short distance to the ground.

[Filo]

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

The housing estate usually gets filled with cars, and as mentioned on the grass verges as you turn off the motorway.

Don`t go the motorway way, Humberside`s speed camera`s will be out in force that day, go down the A18 instead. A18 is just as quick if not quicker than going via the M180 M181

Or do go on the motorway and stick to 70, maybe?

You`ll still get a ticket doing 70 mph

how do you work that one out

Easy, you'll be travelling faster than the aveage speed cameras at 50mph!

[RedRover45]

Any speeding tickets,get the wife to take the blame,it worked for that MP!!

Or rather it didn't :-)

[Filo]

One Scunthorpe match I parked in tesco's opposite and was shocked to find a £50 charge notice on my windscreen when I got back to the car. I duly rang the number and the person on the other end was actually very helpful. Long story, involving lies about child custody, mcdonalds, and prison sentences, and denial of even attending the "crappy Donny football game" but I got off the fine. The parking guy told me that on match days they are "actively vigilant" (I think was his term) about ticketing cars. They also, allegedly, have the full backing of Tesco - so their parking charges DO apply through law.

For those wishing to test these legal claims...good luck. For my money, I'd go up to Berkley circle (the roundabout towards town), turn right, take your first right into the estate, and use the cut through by the garden centre to walk the short distance to the ground.

You`re obviously taking the parking company`s word for it


try reading up on HMRC v VCS in wich the judge stated these facts

VCS did not have any right to occupy land or to pursue any action in trespass (which is what VCS had claimed they were doing)

That on the basis of their standard agreement with landowners there could have been no contract formed between VCS and the motorist because its limited rights to access to the land did not extend to being able to offer the right to park

The signs used by VCS cannot have effect because they have no right in law to make any offer to park in the first instance

Any contract to park could only be formed between the landowner and the motorist

Further to those points, the only course of action against the motorist is the civil tort of trespass, only the land owner can bring this action and they could only claim losses incurred, seeing as the parking company keep all the parking charges the landowner has actually lost nothing so the motorist would not owe the land owner anything.

That`s why parking companies hardly ever take it to court, out of the many millions of tickets issued last year only 52 went to court, 26 of those were won by the motorist on the basis of the above points, the 26 won by the parking companies were only won by default as the motorist failed to attend court to defend their actions

Parking companies operate on peoples ignorance of the law and intimidation tactics, they even send letters threatening to send the bailiffs in, in actual fact bailiffs can only be sent in by a court and only then when you have failed to adhere to a CCJ

[hoolahoop]

Any speeding tickets,get the wife to take the blame,it worked for that MP!!

Or rather it didn't :-)

Or for the vengeful ex-wife. Proves that old saying has some credibility........if you want /seek revenge on someone then remember to prepare a grave for yourself too.

[Filo]

The general advice regarding these parking companies is to ignore and not acknowledge any correspondence from them


Below is a copy of a letter sent to a parking company by a barrister who they happened to ticket, it outlines all the relevant points of law, the parking company never pursued this barrister any further, I wonder why?

To:
Central Payment Office, Creative Parking Solutions, Suite 8, Bridge Chambers Business Centre, 1 Bridge Chambers, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1HB. 

Without prejudice, save as to costs
Re. Parking Charge Notice No. ****. Agricultural Inn, Braunton. Vehicle registration **** ***.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I was very surprised to receive a 'Parking Charge Notice' (no.****) today at The Agricultural Inn for my vehicle whose registration number is set out at the top of this letter. I dispute the charge for the reasons set out below. Please note that without prejudice to the fact that I dispute the whole basis of the claim, my main beef is with what I consider to be a disproportionate and punitive level of charge.

1. No contract
There was no contract between myself and either Creative Parking Solutions or The Agricultural Inn. I did not see the notices when I parked and at that time had no idea any charge whatsoever was required. So the requirements of forming a contract such as a meeting of minds, agreement, certainty of terms, etc were not satisfied. Had I known when I parked, I would have been happy to pay. For what it's worth, I was helping my local church (St Brannocks) which was organising a Lent Lunch at the Methodist/URC Church next to the Aggi.

2. Trespass
If there was no contract, then at most I was guilty of a civil trespass (though this is neither admitted nor denied). If this was the case, I would be liable to damages. Given that I did no damage to the car park and furthermore that the car park was not full when I parked and I believe also when I left, I would suggest that there was therefore no loss at all.

3. Punitive/unfair/unreasonable
Without prejudice to the foregoing, even if there was a contract (which is denied):

a. Punitive
The charge that you are levying is punitive and therefore void (ie unenforceable) against me. The charge of £75 is arbitrary and in no way proportionate to any alleged breach of contract. Nor does it even equate to local council charges (which in any event are a completely different beast). This is all the more so for the additional charge of £45 which you say accrues after seven days of non-payment. This would also apply to your mention of any costs incurred through debt recovery unless it followed a court order.

b. Unfair
The charge you are levying is an unfair term (and therefore not binding) pursuant to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. In particular, Schedule 2 of those Regulations gives an indicative (and non-exhaustive) list of terms which may be regarded as unfair and includes at Schedule 2(1)(e) "Terms which have the object or effect of requiring any consumer who fails to fulfil his obligation to pay a disproportionately high sum in compensation." Furthermore, Regulation 5(1) states that: "A contractual term which has not been individually negotiated shall be regarded as unfair if, contrary to the requirement of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations arising under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer" and 5(2) states: "A term shall always be regarded as not having been individually negotiated where it has been drafted in advance and the consumer has therefore not been able to influence the substance of the term."

c. Unreasonable
The charge you are levying is an unreasonable indemnity clause pursuant to section 4(1) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 which provides that: "A person cannot by reference to any contract term be made to indemnify another person (whether a party to the contract or not) in respect of liability that may be incurred by the other for negligence or breach of contract, except in so far as the contract term satisfies the requirement of reasonableness.”

Further information
Please take this letter to constitute a written appeal in accordance with your Notice. I also make the following points. I would be grateful for answers to all questions raised and in this respect remind you of the obligations set out in the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct (http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/pd_pre-action_conduct).

1. Your cause of action: please make this clear. If you claim that I entered into a contract, please send me a complete breakdown of all the terms and conditions of that contract to which you say I agreed.

2. Your loss: please give me a full breakdown as to the actual loss you say was suffered by either yourselves or The Agricultural Inn.

3. The appeal: please send me a copy of the procedure which you follow, along with setting out what factors are taken into account, who is the judge or arbitrator and whether they are independent, whether you require oral submissions, whether it is governed by the Arbitration Act 1996 and any other relevant factors. In addition, please give me disclosure of any arguments being put by yourselves on this matter in the Appeal so that I might reply to any new issues which are raised. If you decide to dismiss the appeal, please send me the full reasoning in relation to each of the specific points raised in this letter.

4. Time for the appeal. Your parking charge notice says: ‘Appeals/challenges received after 7 (seven) days will not be upheld or considered unless in extreme circumkstances, and at the Company’s discretion.’ Please tell me how you say this complies with the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct (above)?

5. Your 'Parking Charge Notice': what do you say is the status of this document? Do you claim it is an invoice pursuant to a contract (in other words an invoice which would generally get declared to the Inland Revenue) or does it have some other status? If it is the latter, please clarify exactly what you say it is?

6. Your status. Your Parking Charge Notice simply mentions 'Creative Parking Solutions'. Please tell me who exactly is making this charge? Are you a limited company? If so, why is this not indicated on either the Notice or your website (http://creativeparkingsolutions.co.uk) along with your company registration number? In this respect, I note that the Companies Act 2006 and the Business Names Act 1985 provides that every UK company should list on its website: its name, its company registration number, its place of registration and its registered office address. If you are not a company, then I assume this is run by an individual or individuals and I would appreciate knowing exactly who is making the claim and in what capacity. Are you VAT registered? For what it’s worth, a female member of staff in The Aggi told me to call 'Frank'. A couple of articles in the North Devon Journal quote 'Francis Millard' and 'Frank Millard' for Creative Parking Solutions. Is this or are these the person/people running Creative Parking Solutions?

7. The Agricultural Inn. A female member of staff in The Agricultural Inn suggested that running the car park had nothing to do with them. Please can you tell me who owns the car park and what is the relationship between  The Agricultural Inn and yourselves? Please explain any involvement at all of  The Agricultural Inn with yourselves as well as specifically with the Parking Charge Notices. I am also sending them a copy of this letter.

8. What is the relationship between ‘Creative Parking Solutions’ and Creative Parking Solutions PLC (www.creativecarpark.co.uk)? I am sending a copy of this letter to Gary Wayne who it seems is the CEO of Creative Parking Solutions PLC.  [UPDATE: Gary Wayne has confirmed that the claim is not made by Creative Parking PLC and that the relevant Creative Parking Solutions is at www.creativeparkingsolutions.co.uk]

9. Your Notice mentions that 'A photograph may have been taken of the vehicle for evidential value and will be stored in accordance with the Company's Data Protection procedures'. Please send me a copy of those procedures. Furthermore, pursuant to section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 please send me a copy of any such photo along with a copy of any other data which you hold relating to me.

10. Please send me details of any Codes by which you claim to comply and any governing body or other such organisation of which you are a member.

11. Please provide me with the name and address of your solicitors (if any) in order that I may copy them into this correspondence.

12. For the avoidance of doubt (and without suggesting that you would), please do not do the following:
a. Send me any document purporting to be from the County Court unless it is a valid Claim Form duly issued.
b. Write to me threatening to send round bailiffs without first going through the process of issuing a Claim Form and obtaining judgment.
c. Send me any standard letters either from yourselves or debt-collectors without addressing the specific points raised in this response.
d. I note that your website says: ‘Unlike some of our competitors, we maximise the deterrent value of parking charge notices by ensuring that all notices issued are pursued if necessary to the issue of a court summons.’ Please can you confirm that this is accurate and tell me how many claims you have pursued to a court hearing? Are there any Notices you have issued which have not been enforced? I note in this respect that a female member of staff in  The Agricultural Inn  told me yesterday that she had had a problem (albeit over a different issue apparently) with one of your parking tickets only the day before and I was given the impression that the Notice was not going to be enforced in that case.

13. If you want to make a claim , for your information you can issue online or I am sure that Barnstaple County Court would also be very happy to give you a form. My address for service is set out at the top of this letter. If you do decide to issue:
a. I reserve the right to add further arguments to my Defence.
b. Please rest assured that I will be more than happy to attend any court mediations which might be offered.

14. For your information, I have also put a copy of this correspondence on my blogs at http://timkevan.blogspot.com/search/label/parking and www.babybarista.com/tag/parking and intend to cover this case there. I am also sharing it with my two accounts on Twitter: @babybarista (with 11,000 followers) and @timkevan (with 1,000 followers) as well as my accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn.

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Tim Kevan

cc
Julian Turner, The Aggi, Braunton, 25 East Street, Braunton, Devon EX33 2EA
Gary Wayne, CEO, Creative Parking Solutions PLC, 33/35 Daws Lane, London NW7 4SD

 

[Belle-Vue-Ghost]

I had a simlar situation before christmas for parking at asda over the time limit.  I got 2 letters, ignored them both, heard nothing for around 3 months now

[benaldo]

I can't believe I'm typing this again........ 

The company TOLD me (ie, inferred, speculated, informed, passed on information) that TESCOS (the landowner) was behind the ticketing and subsequent charges (ie the parking firm is NOT acting off it's own back, they are merely subcontracting to TESCOS....An arrangement which is also the case at my local Sainsburys - other supermarkets are available - in Matlock. We're not talking about some grotty piece of wasteland with a spurious sign in 0.8 font that you couldn't read with the hubble telescope, and men with rusty wheel clamps and criminal records.

Like I said, be my guest, take your pseudo-legal jargon and give it a whirl at the scunny game.

[DaveDRFC]

My preferred method is don't park where you're not meant to, don't get a ticket. Seems to work for me!

I've been to Scunny twice, once I just parked in the ground for 3 quid, was a bit of a pain in the arse getting away but not that bad, the other I parked quite a long way up the A1077 (straight across the roundabout after coming off the M181).

[Filo]

I can't believe I'm typing this again........ 

The company TOLD me (ie, inferred, speculated, informed, passed on information) that TESCOS (the landowner) was behind the ticketing and subsequent charges (ie the parking firm is NOT acting off it's own back, they are merely subcontracting to TESCOS....An arrangement which is also the case at my local Sainsburys - other supermarkets are available - in Matlock. We're not talking about some grotty piece of wasteland with a spurious sign in 0.8 font that you couldn't read with the hubble telescope, and men with rusty wheel clamps and criminal records.

Like I said, be my guest, take your pseudo-legal jargon and give it a whirl at the scunny game.

Benny boy, like I said earlier, you are taking the word of an employee of an unscrupulous parking company that relies on bending the truth and the ignorance of the motorist, of course he`s going to tell you that what he`s doing is above board.


Euro car parks is the one in tesco at Scunny, or it was the last time I got an unsolicited invoice from them about 18 months ago, about 8 threatening letters down the line I`m still waiting for them to take the matter to court, it must be about 10 months since they last sent me a threatening letter, so they must have given up now after having no reply.

I know who I`d take advice from between an employee of the car parking firm or a barrister!