Taking a break at motorway services? Don’t stay too long!

A short repositioning drive round the car park might beat the system [unless they’re checking tyre inflation valve positions or have number plate recognition technology, perhaps].

When I use a motorway service station, I always feel obliged to buy something. Usually a coffee, sandwich, cold water and a book or a magazine. I know I can bring most of these from home, but I think it is only fair to spend some money there to assist them in maintaining a service. Although I’m not foolish enough to buy their cooked food. I would be prepared to pay if I overstayed the allowed time and agree that an hourly rate rather than a fine is the best and fairest option.

Aldi supermarket car parks limit parking time – time seems to vary from town to town, and they have numberplate recognition cameras. The operation isn’t run by Aldi, but by a contracted company.

I visited the Gillingham (Kent) store a few months ago which has a one-hour parking limit. A week later I received a fine notice – the store had been busy and it appears I stayed for 1 hour 4 minutes!
Fortunately I still had my receipt which I photocopied and sent to the parking contractor with a letter stating the circumstances. I was subsequently advised that the fine notice had been cancelled. The letter also stated that ‘in this instance’ the notice had been cancelled, but wouldn’t be if it happened again! I contacted Aldi suggesting their contractor’s attitude didn’t seem conducive to attracting customers……..there was no reply!

I recommend Aldi shoppers retain thie receipts for a few weeks in case they’re needed for evidence.

Some other contractors appear to be more aggressive. There is a small business park at Strood (Kent) that serves B&Q, Matalan, and a few more stores. Local press widely reported instances where some shoppers using the park also used the public conveniences situated across the road from the car park – either before or after using the shops. This was being noted by the parking contractors who promptly slapped fine notices on the cars because they were ‘using the car park illegally’…….the parking spaces were only for those using only the shops. Despite publicity the contractors remained unmoved, and also applied additional fines for people who didn’t pay up within a time limit.

Seems to be a need for control of ‘cowboy’ parking contractors. However, local authorities are often equally guilty of using car parking fines as a cash cow. Medway Council (Kent) is notorious, with mobile CCTV cars, issuing fines for ‘offences’ such as parking in a marked parking bay but overhanging the painted bay line, or laying parking ticket on dashboard where it can’t be seen unless leaning over the car bonnet. They’ve also slapped fines on district nurses attending patients and once, a fireman who had parked whilst answering an emergency call!
More recently, they approved ‘conversion’ of a long-established road in Chatham to a ‘bus station, from which cars are barred. Signage was, and remains appalling, and visitors’ sat navs take them through the road where (fixed) CCTV cameras prompt a £60 fine. High Court have confirmed council at fault but they remain unmoved…..it’s estimated the ‘bus station fines are generating over £½m revenue for the council.

Now I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong but a parking ticket issued at a motorway service station for an overstay in their car park is simply an invoice. Not legally enforceable without the issuer taking the offender through the courts.
My daughter received such an “invoice” following a breakdown situation. After some research this invoice was simply ignored, even after a reminder, and nothing has happened over a year later. Possibly because there’s little profit if they have to take everyone to court. After all making cash is what it’s all about and they won’t win them all. Plenty of people don’t contest this injustice and just stump up the cash so they just don’t bother if you ignore them, it’s cheaper.

We considered it unfair to penalise someone for a breakdown and unfair that motorway stations should charge for anything you buy there at inflated prices whilst still seeking to cash in on “parking infringements”, especially as the car parks are rarely more than half full.

We intended to fight the case but were not disappointed that it all went quiet.

Food for thought perhaps?

I believe that one of the conditions of operating a motorway service station is that visitors must be offered two hours free parking, toilet facilities, etc.

Commonsense suggests that the conditions should be updated to make provision for extended stops in the case of breakdown or illness. As we have seen, even those with breakdown cover may exceed the time allowed. Many motorists do not have breakdown cover.

Obviously motorists could abuse an exemption on the basis of breakdown or illness, so perhaps the service station operator needs to have a system to check that the problem is genuine and the driver may need to demonstrate that they have made reasonable efforts to remove their vehicle as soon as possible.

It is encouraging that Chris’s daughter was not pursued. If I received an invoice I would respond giving an account of the reason for overstaying and providing what evidence was available. If that did not work I would be tempted to take legal action.

One thing that concerns me is that drivers who are aware of a problem with their vehicle might be tempted to set off in the hope that they are able to get off the motorway and avoid a fine.

I forgot to post this email exchange with BPA from 2015:

Good morning

AOS Investigations Team