Free Traffic Legal Advice

Live cases legal advice => Private parking tickets => Topic started by: AMG on October 14, 2025, 02:41:24 pm

Title: Re: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: AMG on October 18, 2025, 04:50:57 pm
I was unclear earlier — apologies for any confusion.

I will be selecting the following option on the APCOA portal, as per the guidance provided:
Appellant Type: Vehicle’s Keeper
Selected: I was the Vehicle’s Keeper when the contravention occurred.

I now understand that this is the correct and accurate choice, and that selecting “Keeper” does not constitute an admission of being the driver as mentioned.

Kind regards
Title: Re: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: b789 on October 18, 2025, 04:29:45 pm
DO NOT submit anything by post!!!! For heavens sake... just select "Keeper" or "Other". You are overthinking this.

There is no legal obligation on the Keeper to identify the driver to an unregulated private parking firm and they are not allowed to infer or assume the Keeper must also be the driver!

This appeal works 100% of the time.
Title: Re: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: jfollows on October 18, 2025, 12:04:17 pm
No.

Keeper is fine.

Why do you think that this identifies the driver? It doesn’t. You are making things more complicated than they are.

There are loads of similar cases here if you search for them.
Title: Re: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: AMG on October 18, 2025, 11:44:38 am
GGood morning,

I’m finding this a bit difficult, as the APCOA online appeal portal doesn’t offer an appropriate option. It forces you to select one of three — “Driver,” “Keeper,” or “Hirer.” Since even choosing “Keeper” could inadvertently be interpreted as identifying the driver (depending on how APCOA’s system records the submission), I’ve decided that submitting a written letter appeal is the safest and most controlled approach.

Would you agree

Kind regards
Title: Re: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: DWMB2 on October 14, 2025, 02:44:21 pm
As Manchester Airport is subject to byelaws, it is subject to "statutory control", and as such, not relevant land for the purposes of Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act, meaning they cannot hold the keeper liable. You could therefore appeal along the lines of the below:

Dear Sirs,

I have received your Parking Charge Notice (Ref: ______) for vehicle registration mark _______, in which you allege that the driver has incurred a parking charge. I am appealing as the registered keeper of the vehicle. There is no obligation for me to name the driver and I will not be doing so. I note from your correspondence that you are not seeking to hold me liable as the registered keeper, under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 ("The Act").

Even if you were seeking to do so, as Manchester Airport is not "relevant land" as defined by The Act you are unable to recover the charge from me, the keeper.

I am therefore unable to help you further with this matter, and look forward to your confirmation that the charge has been cancelled. If you choose to decline this appeal, you must issue a POPLA code.

Yours,

If appealing online, make sure there are no drop down boxes etc. that force/trick you into revealing who was driving - you are appealing as the keeper, and saying nothing about who was driving.
Title: APCOA PCN – Manchester Airport T1 Drop-Off – “Use of Pick Up / Drop Off Zone Without Valid Payment” (30/09/2025)
Post by: AMG on October 14, 2025, 02:41:24 pm
I have received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from APCOA regarding an alleged contravention at Manchester Airport – Terminal 1, Lower Drop-Off Forecourt

The PCN Details are as follows:

    Issuer: APCOA Parking (Manchester Airport)

    Location: Lower Drop-Off Forecourt, Terminal 1

    Date of event: 30/09/2025

    Entry time: 23:15:52

    Exit time: 23:16:53

    Duration: approx. 1 minute

    Reason given: “Use of Pick-Up / Drop-Off Zone Without Making a Valid Payment”

Timeline and circumstances:

    I briefly entered the drop-off area to collect family and was there for about one minute.

    I made payment at the drop-off zone and have a credit-card transaction record confirming this.

    It is unclear from the PCN whether APCOA believe no payment was made or whether the payment didn’t fully cover the stay.

    I could of exited around a minute after the paid period.

    I did not intentionally avoid payment, and I believe a one-minute difference should fall within reasonable tolerance (“de minimis”), especially since payment was made.

A few days later, I received the PCN by post.

Questions:

    Is this PCN enforceable under airport byelaws or private parking rules?

    Would a 1-minute overstay normally count as de minimis or be covered by any grace period?

    What’s the best way to word an appeal to APCOA?

    You can view the redacted PCN here: https://postimg.cc/B89tGwSH

What I can provide:

    Redacted PCN. https://postimg.cc/B89tGwSH

Thank you very much for any advice or guidance — I just want to make sure I phrase my appeal correctly and don’t weaken my position.

Kind regards,

AMG