The signs say clearly 'Customer Only Car Park' and elaborates with 'You must remain on site at all times your vehicle remains in this car park'.
So perhaps having receipts for the visit(s) isn't so ridiculous.
I kindly ask that you intervene and request Ocean Parking to cancel this PCN immediately. The situation has caused unnecessary distress, particularly to an elderly, disabled shopper, and I am confident that Harpurhey Shopping Centre values its customers and will ensure that this unjust charge is rescinded.
Formal Appeal - Notice to Keeper [PCN Reference Number]
Dear Ocean Parking,
I am writing to formally appeal the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) referenced above as the registered keeper of the vehicle. I was not the driver at the time in question, and I have no legal obligation to identify the driver, as per the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
The driver on the day is an elderly disabled person who holds a blue badge, a copy of which is (Attachment) . They live only a few minutes from Harpurhey Shopping Centre and cannot accurately recall whether they stayed at the location for the alleged duration or left and returned later, raising the possibility of a 'double dip' error where two separate visits have been combined by your ANPR system.
Furthermore, as your system relies on entry/exit ANPR, please note that the evidence of the driver's blue badge now confirms you are aware of their disability. Under the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments must be made for disabled individuals, including allowing additional time. Therefore, any decision to pursue this PCN despite this knowledge would constitute discrimination against a person with a disability.
In light of these factors, I request that you cancel this PCN immediately. If this request is denied, I expect a full investigation into the possibility of a 'double dip' error and request that you provide all evidence, including checks for unassigned ANPR orphan-images of any additional exits or entries.
Should you choose to pursue this charge, I will escalate the matter to the appropriate authorities and submit a formal complaint to the DVLA, raising concerns about the reasonable cause for requesting the keeper's data without sufficient grounds.
I look forward to your confirmation that the PCN has been cancelled.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Full Name]
Registered Keeper
Request for Cancellation of Parking Charge Notice Due to Discrimination Under the Equality Act
Dear [Shopping Centre Management],
I am writing to formally request the cancellation of Parking Charge Notice [PCN Number] issued by your agent, Ocean Parking, at Harpurhey Shopping Centre on [Date]. The driver in this case is elderly, disabled, and holds a blue badge. They were issued the PCN for exceeding the maximum stay by 22 minutes.
Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses such as Harpurhey Shopping Centre have a legal duty to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made for individuals with disabilities. This includes allowing additional time for tasks such as parking. Failing to provide such adjustments, as demonstrated by the issuing of this PCN, constitutes indirect discrimination under the Act.
As the management of Harpurhey Shopping Centre, you are jointly and severally liable for the actions of your agent, Ocean Parking. Therefore, I respectfully request that you instruct Ocean Parking to cancel this PCN immediately and ensure that no further action is taken.
Please confirm the cancellation of the PCN in writing at your earliest convenience. Failing to address this matter may result in further action being taken under the Equality Act for failure to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled person.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
If this were the case, it would indicate that the operator had failed to comply with their own Code of Practice (CoP), which requires a manual quality check of ANPR images to identify any missing or orphan images. If such a check were not performed, it would lead to the issuance of a Parking Charge Notice that did not accurately reflect the vehicle’s presence in the car park.
Customer Services Manager
Harpurhey Shopping Centre
[Shopping Centre Address]
[City, Postcode]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Request for Cancellation of Parking Charge Notice Issued by Ocean Parking
I am writing in relation to a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) issued by Ocean Parking to my vehicle, registration number [Vehicle Registration Number], for allegedly overstaying the parking limit at Harpurhey Shopping Centre. The PCN reference number is [PCN Reference Number], issued on [Date of Issue].
The driver of the vehicle, an elderly Blue Badge holder, lives locally and it is entirely feasible that the vehicle was not parked at the centre for the full period stated. It is possible that the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system used by Ocean Parking failed to register both entry and exit times, a common issue known as a "double-dip."
This indicates that the operator has failed to comply with their own Code of Practice (CoP), which requires a manual quality check of ANPR images to identify any missing or orphan images. It appears this check was not performed, leading to the issuance of a Parking Charge Notice that does not accurately reflect the vehicle’s presence in the car park.
Additionally, the driver’s disability requires more time to move around the shopping centre, and under the Equality Act 2010, Ocean Parking is obligated to make reasonable adjustments to allow for this. Therefore, the PCN is either discriminatory towards a disabled person who needs more time to shop or is based on a breach of the operator’s CoP through failure to perform a basic quality check of the ANPR system.
I kindly ask that you intervene and request Ocean Parking to cancel this PCN immediately. The situation has caused unnecessary distress, particularly to an elderly, disabled shopper, and I am confident that Harpurhey Shopping Centre values its customers and will ensure that this unjust charge is rescinded.
Please let me know if any further information is required to resolve this matter. I appreciate your understanding and swift action in requesting the cancellation of the PCN.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
Registered Keeper of Vehicle [Vehicle Registration Number]
Also could this be a so called double dip, if so how could this be verified?You tell us. A double dip is where 2 separate visits to the car park are recorded as one due to failures of the ANPR equipment, or a failure of the parking company to manually verify the images.