MET parking charge Notice

[Pumathunder]

Hi All

Got a parking charge from MET for the driver of the vehicle outstaying their welcome at McDs by 16 minutes. They give 90 minutes but it took us longer with newborn twins that needed feeding and a toddler playing in the facilities.

We have 4 photos, one that shows the car entering and you can just about read the plate, the second as the car exits you can't read the number plate at all and two that are just close ups of the number plate, none of the photos show any of the signage, I read that they are they supposed to but not sure if that's true?

I've tried speaking to the manager of the restaurant but they just told me that they have appeal forms in the restaurant that I can pick up if I want. I asked if they'd be willing to sign it as manager and say that they believe it should be cancelled but they weren't interested in doing that. Might try again to see if I can get a different response from a different manager.

What's the best way to appeal this? Let me know if you need specifics from the letter that we had and I'll post them. Thanks.

[Kati]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

[MENTION=5553]charitynjw[/MENTION] [MENTION=39331]ostell[/MENTION]??

[charitynjw]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

Hi & welcome to LB.

It would be best to edit your post slightly....you shouldn't ID the driver, even by inference.

That manager in McD's is telling porkies.....McD's managers do intercede on behalf of genuine customers.

The parking co also have to make reasonable adjustment for cases involving pregnancy & maternity. (Equality Act 2010)

[Pumathunder]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

Thanks charitynjw, is that better?

So what would I write to them to say that we had babies with us so this adjustment should apply?

Hi & welcome to LB.

It would be best to edit your post slightly....you shouldn't ID the driver, even by inference.

That manager in McD's is telling porkies.....McD's managers do intercede on behalf of genuine customers.

The parking co also have to make reasonable adjustment for cases involving pregnancy & maternity. (Equality Act 2010)

[charitynjw]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

That's great!

Ok, first point is that ANPR does not show a period of parking, it only records the times of entry & exit when passing the camera(s).

You are allowed a 'reasonable period' to traverse the car park, find a suitable place to park, exit the vehicle & read/digest the site signs etc.

You are then allowed a minimum of 10 mins, after the parking period has expired, to exit.

In addition to the above, you have a further argument for reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act.
I would say that this is applicable both to the 'entry' grace period, & also the 'exit'. (For dealing with pram, babies, breastfeeding etc.)

[Pumathunder]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

That's great!

Ok, first point is that ANPR does not show a period of parking, it only records the times of entry & exit when passing the camera(s).

You are allowed a 'reasonable period' to traverse the car park, find a suitable place to park, exit the vehicle & read/digest the site signs etc.

You are then allowed a minimum of 10 mins, after the parking period has expired, to exit.

In addition to the above, you have a further argument for reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act.
I would say that this is applicable both to the 'entry' grace period, & also the 'exit'. (For dealing with pram, babies, breastfeeding etc.)

ok, so would my appeal to them be something like...

We appeal this parking charge as when we visited the McDonalds we had our newborn twins and toddler with us and so it took us longer than usual to get out of the car, get the double pram and buggy set up and get into the restaurant, we also had to feed the babies whilst there which adds a lot of time. We believe that there should be a reasonable adjustment to the standard allowed parking time based on the fact that we had the babies with us and had to feed them as well.

Is there anything else I should include or remove?

Thanks for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

[ostell]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

You need to point them to the fact that the Equality Act requires them to make reasonable adjustment for the looking after newborn children, as well as the grace period at the start and end of the parking period.

[Pumathunder]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

You need to point them to the fact that the Equality Act requires them to make reasonable adjustment for the looking after newborn children, as well as the grace period at the start and end of the parking period.

So would this work?

We appeal this parking charge as when we visited the McDonalds we had our newborn twins and toddler with us and so it took us longer than usual to get out of the car, get the double pram and buggy set up and get into the restaurant so we believe that the grace period for getting parked and taking in the signage should be increased due to the difficulty of having newborn twins with us, this obviously applies to leaving the restaurant and loading the car back up too. We believe that you are required by the Equality Act of 2010 to make a reasonable adjustment to the standard allowed parking time based on the fact that we had the babies with us and had to feed them as well whilst we were there.

[charitynjw]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

I would add something like

In light of this, please cancel this alleged parking charge & remove personal data from your records.
Should you disagree with this explanation, please provide verifiable reasons why you think your company is exempt from the provisions of the Equality Act.

[Pumathunder]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

So I sent this information off and they rejected the claim simply stating that we stayed too long and the signs are clearly marked. What's the next step for us?

[Kati]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

So I sent this information off and they rejected the claim simply stating that we stayed too long and the signs are clearly marked. What's the next step for us?

have you received a POPLA code??
[MENTION=5553]charitynjw[/MENTION] [MENTION=39331]ostell[/MENTION] xx

[charitynjw]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

^^^^^ Wot Kati says!

[Pumathunder]

Re: MET parking charge Notice

have you received a POPLA code??
@charitynjw @ostell xx

Yes, I have a POPLA code.

[Pumathunder]

So can anyone (@charitynjw @ostell) advise what I need to put in the Popla appeal, is it the full story of what happened or just the basics as per the previous appeal to MET?

Thanks.

[ostell]

You throw everything into the POPLA appeal Here's a link to a POPLA appeal. Modify it to suit and post here for critique