Nick Larkin
Owners should back action against modern menace
Our Nick says we should all fight back against parking injustice.
‘Unfortunately, the court would not let me show video evidence’
Ah, remember when you wouldn’t think twice about parking your Hillman Husky unlocked outside the House of Commons with your life savings on the back seat? Or taking a walk along the Embankment before enjoying tea and a piece of Madeira cake in a Lyons’ Corner House, then later by a pint of light and bitter and a Cockney sing-along at the Old Pickled Ox? All for sixpence?
Me neither, but most of us can still recall the happy times without a huge industry geared to grabbing millions of pounds a year in ‘penalty’ charges from hard working people.
MP and old car movement champion Sir Greg Knight is fighting to get a strict code of practice established to rid the world of more unscrupulous parking profiteers, and has appealed for any tales of woe from classic owners to support his campaign There are stories of club members facing charges after waiting for stragglers to arrive for road runs starting from service areas, and even broken-down classics have ended up with charges. Or even drivers taking a vital nap!
Sir Greg’s Private Members Bill, which at the time of writing has received its second reading in the House of Commons, would among other things stop car park pirates buying details of motorists caught on their cameras from the DVLA at £2.50 a pop – 1.7 million were sold in just three months last year.
Ye olde English charms
One freezing January Sunday I had been attending a photoshoot in Essex and later gone to review a Morris Minor for sale near Enfield. It was now dark, and as I had arranged a further evening meeting in London and needed to freshen up a tad there was little alternative but to sample (I told you, I live the life!) ye olde English charms of a well-known service station. Here I was sure that roaring log fires along with wenches serving scrumpy and hot mutton stew would revive my flagging spirits.
A few days later, what in my opinion appeared to be a tatty photocopy arrived in the post, demanding £60 for a 27 minute overstay in a virtually empty car park. I genuinely thought it was a scam, especially as there was no way that I could get through to the parking enforcement company by phone.
Several months later I found myself at Peterborough County Court. I had prepared, having revisited the service station in question to discover signs warning of the parking restrictions were difficult to see at night, and if you entered the building from the side, you would actually NOT see them at all. There was nothing in the foyer, either. I even took what I felt to be a convincing film for proof, and got some sworn testimonials from witnesses.
Unfortunately, the court would not let me show my video evidence as the representative of the parking enforcement company had not seen it first. So I lost the case and £200.
There was no alternative but to pay, as not doing so would mean a county court judgment (CCJ) and resulting credit rating approximately matching that of Carillion. The court said that an appeal would cost several hundred pounds. I felt unjustly victimised, criminalised even. The parking enforcement firm did not respond to further correspondence. This is no tiny company either – it was valued at £57.5 million in 2013, and has a legal department to match.
Please support Sir Greg Knight’s campaign (write to secretary@gregknight.com) and always carefully check for any signage at venue car parks so that these companies NEVER get your cash. Squander it on classics instead!