Napier Parking PCN - Shared (with Horizon) Car Park - Station Hill Car Park, Chippenham

Upon entering the car park the driver entered to the left hand side (passing a sign that says 45minutes free parking) and circled flowed round until a space was found. At this point car was parked in bay and then Sainsbury’s shop used.


A PCN was received by the registered keeper for parking for 12 mins in the Napier side today (issued 7 days ago)


Since receiving the PCN the driver has now discovered that the car park is not fully operated by Sainsbury’s (who use Horizon) but there is also a second area to the car park operated by Napier. If you enter the Sainsbury’s side of the car park (to the left) you are then able to enter the Napier side without passing a sign / demarkation which details the change of car park.


There are clearly more people having this issue as there is a local news article about it


and MSE forum page


Google maps location (also lets you street view around the car park also many new reviews on here of people being fined.


Images of PCN https://imgur.com/a/CA2sLH3


Please could you provide guidance as to whether the driver has grounds for appeal, and if so what should the driver say? Thanks in advance!

Of course the Keeper has grounds for appeal, especially if the signage is deficient, as you have mentioned. For now, just appeal with the following:

Napier Parking – PCN [ref], VRM [reg]

I am the registered keeper. Liability is denied.

1. No contract: inadequate signage and no demarcation. The vehicle entered via the Sainsbury’s side (different operator/terms). From there, one can drive into the Napier area without passing any clear boundary sign or change-of-operator notice. The terms relied upon by Napier were not fairly or prominently brought to the driver’s attention at the point of transition, so no contract with Napier was formed.

2. “Period of parking” not proven: Your ANPR shows only entry/exit to the overall site. It does not evidence when (or if) the vehicle was actually parked in the Napier area, nor what signage was visible from the bay used. Circulating, queuing, or moving between areas is not “parking”.

3. Keeper liability is not admitted: I am not identifying the driver. If you believe Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 applies, you are put to strict proof of full compliance.

Cancel this PCN. If you refuse, please provide:

• A dated, annotated site plan showing every entrance and each boundary/transition point between the Sainsbury’s and Napier areas, plus the exact location/orientation of every sign in force on the material date.
• Close-up images of the boundary/transition signage the driver would have passed when moving from the Sainsbury’s side into the Napier area, and legible copies of the terms (including the parking charge and font sizes).
• ANPR camera locations and calibration/maintenance records for the month of the event.
• Evidence that any alleged duration reflects a period of parking in the Napier area, not mere circulation or time spent elsewhere on site.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am not naming the driver. Please address all replies to me as keeper.

Thank you so much for the in depth response. I know this is a “how long is a piece of string question” but are they likely to provide evidence for the requested points? Or will they just reject the appeal?

They will almost certainly reject the appeal. It is as rare as hens teeth that any unregulated private parking firm accepts any initial appeal.