3. NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
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NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
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Hi all,

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.

I am the registered keeper of the vehicle and have received a Parking Charge Notice from National Car Parks Ltd.

Details:
Operator: National Car Parks Ltd / NCP
Location: Bishops Stortford Station car park
Alleged contravention: Restricted Area
Incident date: 30/04/2026
Date of sending notice: 05/05/2026
Amount: £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days

I have not appealed yet
The driver has not been identified

Parking had been paid for covering 7 days. This was not a non-payment or overstay issue. The alleged contravention is "Restricted Area", so the dispute appears to be whether bay 29 was clearly marked/signed as a Premier/restricted bay and whether the driver would reasonably have understood that the paid parking did not apply to that bay.

NCP's evidence photos show the vehicle parked in bay 29. The vehicle appears to be parked wholly within a marked bay. NCP's photos also show signs stating "This parking area is restricted for authorised Premier Parking Only" and "PREMIER BAY PARKING ONLY - Authorised users only."

The car park was busy, and the driver was driving around looking for a space. From the driver's perspective, it was not obvious that bay 29 itself was a Premier/restricted bay. The "PREMIER PARKING" wording appears to be painted on the roadway rather than inside the bay itself.

I have also found a Google Street View image which appears to show the relevant row of bays. It looks like "PREMIER PARKING" is painted once along the roadway in front of the row, rather than inside each individual bay. It appears fairly worn/low contrast and I am not sure how clear it would be to a driver manoeuvring in a busy car park, particularly if vehicles were already parked nearby.

Google Street View link showing the relevant row/bay area.

I would appreciate advice on the best way to approach the first appeal.

A few questions:

1. Is the Notice to Keeper wording important here, particularly where it refers to "further recovery action" rather than clearly warning about keeper liability under POFA?

2. Do any different rules apply because this is a railway station car park / railway land?

3. Does it matter that the Notice to Keeper was dated/sent while the paid parking session was still ongoing?

Thanks.

Images:
00a PCN hosted at ImgBB
Image 00a PCN hosted on ImgBB
ImgBB · ibb.co
- PCN Front
00b PCN hosted at ImgBB
Image 00b PCN hosted on ImgBB
ImgBB · ibb.co
- PCN Reverse

Provided by NCP
1 hosted at ImgBB
Image 1 hosted on ImgBB
ImgBB · ibb.co

2 hosted at ImgBB
Image 2 hosted on ImgBB
ImgBB · ibb.co

3 hosted at ImgBB
Image 3 hosted on ImgBB
ImgBB · ibb.co

https://ibb.co/8ZPYnm0
https://ibb.co/mr54cNCB
https://ibb.co/xKMMT4Pq
https://ibb.co/JjvsCPkH
https://ibb.co/sd94VfqZ
https://ibb.co/Mxbd0Y2L
https://ibb.co/GfNkdztG
https://ibb.co/nq3B5Tx9
https://ibb.co/pBSQN9Mv
https://ibb.co/Kj7zthvr
https://ibb.co/wZy3jNNm
https://ibb.co/dJzQfpDt
« Last Edit: May 18, 2026, 11:23:38 pm by spammmy »
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #1 on: »
The PCN does not appear to comply with
Quote
(f)warn the keeper that if, after the period of 28 days beginning with the day after that on which the notice is given—

(i)the amount of the unpaid parking charges specified under paragraph (d) has not been paid in full, and

(ii)the creditor does not know both the name of the driver and a current address for service for the driver,

the creditor will (if all the applicable conditions under this Schedule are met) have the right to recover from the keeper so much of that amount as remains unpaid;
amongst potentially other things.

The law on railway land changed at the end of 2025 so that now land covered by railway byelaws is relevant land for the purposes of PoFA 2012.

Prior to this, NCP couldn’t use PoFA 2012 so perhaps this is why the other parts of the notice don’t comply with PoFA 2012?
« Last Edit: Yesterday at 09:23:54 pm by jfollows »
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #2 on: »
You could just send a generic “not compliant with PoFA 2012” appeal and NCP may cancel, but I suggest waiting if you can to see what others think.
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #3 on: »
Are you close enough to the station to be able to go there and get some pictures that demonstrate the prominence (or lack of prominence) of the signage indicating the bays are 'premier' bays?
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #4 on: »
Thanks for your replies.

Unfortunately not as Bishops Stortford is about 35 miles away (through London) although if you feel it's crucial I could make a trip there
« Last Edit: Yesterday at 01:57:13 pm by spammmy »
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #5 on: »
Not a disaster - NCP's photos will be taken to present the signage as so obvious that only a fool could miss it. Your job will be to demonstrate that is not the case. If needs be, whilst not ideal, Google Street View might help. There are also other angles (such as PoFA), from which to attack this.

My usual advice is that there is nothing to be gained by delaying an appeal, but as you might have seen, NCP are in financial difficulty and have called the administrators in. On the one hand, this does mean they're likely to be a bit more aggressive with their pursuit of unpaid charges to try and raise cash for creditors. On the other hand, they may also be cutting staff, and could go to the wall entirely. I'd therefore wait until the last day to submit an appeal. It might not make any difference, but given the circumstances it can't hurt...
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #6 on: »
There is nothing in the Parking Charge Notice to Keeper which puts the keeper on notice that if the creditor is not advised of the driver's details or the parking charge paid then they have the right to hold the keeper liable.

Your burden is not to join up dots, extrapolate or guess. IMO, the notice does NOT tell you that they might hold you liable, so act accordingly.
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Re: NCP PCN – "Restricted Area" – Bishops Stortford Station car park
« Reply #7 on: »
Thank you to everyone who has contributed. Unfortunately, I don't think I am going to be able to get time off work to take pictures.

I have written an appeal and will send it the day before the appeal period expires:

Appeal

I appeal as the registered keeper.

The driver has not been identified. I am under no obligation to identify the driver and will not be doing so.

Your Notice to Keeper does not comply with Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

The Notice to Keeper does not contain the mandatory warning required by paragraph 9(2)(f) of Schedule 4. It does not warn the keeper that, if after the relevant 28-day period the parking charge remains unpaid and the creditor does not know both the name of the driver and a current address for service for the driver, the creditor will have the right to recover the unpaid charge from the keeper, if all applicable conditions are met.

Instead, the notice merely states that "further recovery action will be taken to secure payment". That is not the warning required by paragraph 9(2)(f), and it does not create keeper liability.

As keeper liability has not been created, you cannot hold me liable as registered keeper.

In addition, parking had been paid for covering the relevant period. The allegation is "Restricted Area", not non-payment or overstay. It is disputed that the signage and markings made clear that bay 29 was a restricted/Premier bay, or that a £100 charge would be payable. The vehicle was parked within a marked bay during what appeared to be a busy period at the station car park. The "Premier Parking" marking appears to be on the roadway rather than within the bay itself, and the markings/signage do not appear sufficiently prominent or clear from a driver’s perspective when entering and parking in the area. To the extent any roadway marking was present, it appeared faded and was not sufficiently conspicuous to clearly communicate that the bay was subject to a separate restriction carrying a £100 charge.

Please cancel the charge or issue a POPLA code.
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