Free Traffic Legal Advice

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

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

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.