Car parking fines and APCOA

Request 1

I would be grateful if you could explain to me exactly what parking contravention(s) the 120 people were alleged to have committed. 

Response 1 

They would fall under one of the following contraventions:

·         Parking without displaying a valid proof of payment.

·         Parking without displaying a valid parking permit.

·         Parking in a fire access or emergency vehicle areas.

·         Parking on yellow lines or in hatched areas.

·         Parking outside a designated parking bay.

·         Parking in a disabled bay without a registered disabled badge.

·         Exceeding the waiting time in a drop off zone.

Request 2 

What do ACPOA actually mean when they say that these people had paid their 'fines' –

Response 2 

Individuals paid the initial fee for the Parking Enforcement Notice that was issued due to them as a result of committing one of the above contraventions

Request 3

What is the statutory authority that empowers ACPOA to issue 'fines'  -

Response 3 

APCOA’s Parking Enforcement Notices are not ‘fines’ and are not statutory ‘Penalties’. They are issued in response to the breach of advertised terms and conditions of use of Private Land for the purposes of car parking, as per the guidance of the British Parking Association, DVLA and the Trust’s own Parking Policy.

Request 4

Did these 120 people receive actual parking tickets or were these parking contraventions recorded via ANPR

Response 4 

Those that were affected by this issue were issued Parking Enforcement Notices.  APCOA do not operate ANPR at Kettering General Hospital.    

Request 5

I would be grateful if you could supply me with a copy of any investigation or press release which explains in full exactly how this situation came about and what systems have since been put in place to prevent this happening again.

Response 5 

The Trust provided Statements for the initial press release as per the Trust’s previous response to you dated 5 April 2012.

Request 6

A link to a news article with regard to an individual suing a private clamping firm was also provided.

Response 6 

APCOA do not conduct clamping as an enforcement measure at Kettering General Hospital