Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi,

Supported needed here pls. I received a PCN notice for my trip to manchester airport. I have not replied but i paid for parking at Manchester Airport. I arrived 19:45 and exited 21.42 and paid for parking (GBP 20). I hav proof with bank statement. Not sure what this is about. I didnt do a drop off or pick off. Probably missed my way a few times. The ticket also pays GBP 5.00 if paid within 14 days. Please what should i do ?

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For Manchester Airport T1 drop off you pay £5 online by midnight the following day (https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off/).

Did you?

Do you have a receipt for payment?

Did you use the right car registration for payment?

If not, is it really worth £5 arguing? How much is your time and effort worth?

The car park used electronic plate registration. So on exit before barriers open i had to pay 20 pounds on my card. WHy have they discounted so bad. Feels like they want to just reap people off cos they know no one will be willing to fight it

Quote from: jfollows on May 20, 2025, 10:35:03 am

For Manchester Airport T1 drop off you pay £5 online by midnight the following day (https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off/).

Did you?

Do you have a receipt for payment?

Did you use the right car registration for payment?

If not, is it really worth £5 arguing? How much is your time and effort worth?

The car park used electronic plate registration. So on exit before barriers open i had to pay 20 pounds on my card. WHy have they discounted so bad. Feels like they want to just reap people off cos they know no one will be willing to fight it

The £20 to exit suggests that you were in a barrier controlled car park.  The £100 reduced to £5 suggests you also went through the drive through drop off area which has no physical barriers.

Could you please show us the back of the notice? This is the first one I've seen since the new barrier-free parking set up at Manchester.

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 the Manchester Airport Lower Drop Off Forecourt T1 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. If you are not the registered keeper of the vehicle, with the V5C in your possession, tell us, as the appeal will be different.

I have attached the back. If i appeal do i lose the five pounds discount?

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Quote

If i appeal do i lose the five pounds discount?

If you appeal you will have to pay nothing, as the charge will be cancelled, either directly by APCOA or on appeal to POPLA.

Is that a guarantee ? Sorry just trying to be certain.

At the back it says if your appeal is unsuccessful you have the right to pay at the rate applicable when your appeal was made, permitted that your appeal was made within 28 days of receiving this notice.

Please does this mean the GBp 5 would be retained as long as the appeal is made within 14 days

@seanjean123 please stop trying to overthink this. No one guarantees anything but if you come here seeking advice from experts in these matters, then either follow that advice or simply pay the charge at the mugs discount rate!

All you need to know is that APCOA have no idea who the driver is unless you blab it to them, inadvertently or otherwise. The known Keeper is under no legal obligation to identify the unknown driver. Only the unknown driver is liable. They cannot transfer liability from the unknown driver to the known Keeper because airport land is not relevant as far as PoFA 2012 is concerned.

Add to that fact, APCOA DO NOT litigate. If you did nothing, apart from a wave of useless debt recovery threats, nothing else would happen. Useless debt collectors are powerless except to try and persuade the low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree to pay up out of ignorance and fear.

So, send the appeal, EXACTLY as advised and that will lead to a cancellation. No guarantee but even if it didn't, nothing will ever come of this if you follow the advice. Or else, just pay it and we can spend our time more constructively advising others.

Also the appeal template you gave me do i have to sign my name underneath ?

Doesn't make much difference - my template is set out like a letter, but if you're using an online form where you've already provided your name you can always clip out the 'Dear sirs' and 'yours' bits.