Author Topic: Cheltenham - "Ghost tickets" appear in UKPC Ltd run car park  (Read 2317 times)

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Offline The Bald Eagle

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Cheltenham - "Ghost tickets" appear in UKPC Ltd run car park
« on: 30 August, 2014, 01:27:27 PM »
A while ago I predicted that we would start to see more reports of these ghost tickets. Then I saw this...

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http://www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/news/29082014081126-furious-cheltenham-motorists-call-for-clamp-down-on-ukpc-parking-business/


Furious Cheltenham motorists call for clamp down on UKPC parking business

Furious motorists have raised concerns about a town centre car park after they were hit with fines.

The Portland Street car park used to be owned by Cheltenham Borough Council and it was free to park there after 8pm in the evening.

But the car park was sold by the authority as part of a plan to turn it into a housing development and it is currently open as a privately-run facility with charges in place 24 hours a day.

The North Place car park directly opposite is still owned by the borough council and remains free to park in after 8pm.

The Gloucestershire Echo (Cheltenham's daily newspaper) has been contacted by a number of people who believe the existing signage which outlines the parking charges in Portland Street is inadequate.

There have also been concerns raised about some of the penalty notices which have been issued.

Mum-of-three Helen Peacey, 45, who lives in Copt Elm Road, Charlton Kings, parked in the car park on June 5 for her son’s birthday party.

She said she paid and displayed and is adamant her ticket was visible.

When she got back to her car later that night she claims there was no penalty notice on her windscreen, but a number of weeks later she received a fine for £100 in the post.

She appealed and disputed the fine and UKPC, which runs the car park, provided her with a photo of the notice on the windscreen of her car while also agreeing to drop the charge to £15.

But she has refused to pay the fine, which has now risen to £160, and faces court action.

She said: “I parked there, I paid and displayed but I still got a ticket.

“I was tempted to pay the fine to get them off my back, but then I thought ‘hold on, I haven’t done anything wrong’.

“I should never have received a ticket in the first place. I am absolutely livid.”

Another motorist from Evesham, who has used the car park regularly for 20 years, said she parked there on June 21 and bought a ticket, displaying it on the driver’s side window.

She claims she returned to her car before the ticket expired, but she had received a penalty notice for £100.

She said she contacted UKPC to inform them of the issue, but was told the charge would not be waived but would be reduced to £15.

She has told UKPC she will not be paying the fine.

Another motorist who was hit with a parking fine contacted the Echo to bemoan a “lack of clear information” showing the car park was no longer free after 8pm.

He said he left his car there overnight and was given a second fine in the morning, but no formal second ticket was placed on his car.

He found out about it when he received a letter in the post.

He said the second ticket was later cancelled when he called the parking operator.

He said: “I ended up paying £60 even though I considered there to be a serious issue with the lack of clear information.”

Cheltenham Borough Council confirmed it has received complaints about the car park.

A spokeswoman said: “We have received some complaints from members of the public regarding Portland Street car park.

“As we have sold the land to a private contractor, our property services team will be making the new land owners aware of the concerns raised.’’

The car park is owned by Skanska and run on its behalf by UKPC.

A spokeswoman for Skanska said: “UKPC has made us aware of some comments from car park users and we have discussed these.

“Car park users should refer any queries about the car park to UKPC, which manages the car park on Skanska’s behalf.

“Contact information for UKPC is on car park signage and on the tickets.”
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Offline Pat Pending

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Re: Cheltenham - "Ghost tickets" appear in UKPC Ltd run car park
« Reply #1 on: 30 August, 2014, 01:46:54 PM »
 <Yeahthat> UKPC  is the same company that issues parking charge notices for car parks that they have no authority to issue invoices.  Rogue clampers turned to Rogue invoicers. I think it's about time this scum sucking company was shut down!
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Beer in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up,  totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a  ride!!"

Offline scalyback

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Re: Cheltenham - "Ghost tickets" appear in UKPC Ltd run car park
« Reply #2 on: 01 September, 2014, 02:16:32 PM »
QUOTE " the car park was sold by the authority as part of a plan to turn it into a housing development"

So another non helpful case of getting rid of parking spaces whilst adding to the number of people needing them!

What next, will they will be selling the council offices to make way for a sewage farm? Or have they done that already?

Offline DastardlyDick

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Re: Cheltenham - "Ghost tickets" appear in UKPC Ltd run car park
« Reply #3 on: 04 September, 2014, 04:14:22 PM »
If the Council were selling this land for housing, why did they sell it to Skanska, who don't actually build houses?

 


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