Free Traffic Legal Advice

Good afternoon,

I´ve had a ticket through from Countrywide Parking and would like if someone could cast an eye over my proposed second appeal and perhaps offer some guidance or supporting arguments that I can add. My first round appeal was rejected by them, so now am onto the second round appeal.

The long and short of it is that I parked in a car park for a quick drop off, saw the signs for ANPR and the associated camera, and went to purchase a ticket.

Due to Countrywide Parking cost saving techniques and decision not to install a pay machine, I was forced to have to use and app - one of the options for which was “Ringo”.

I then went about downloading the app and inputting my details and card details in order to register, following confirmation email links and the like and eventually was in a position to locate the car park in question.

From previous experience on other apps such as “pay to park” app, it’s usually easier to find associated car parks using the map function, since the codes they use aren’t always searchable. Therefore I went on the map function, pressed the arrow to focus on in my current position, and then found “Cotlands Road” car park. This was the only car park in the vicinity of where I was showing up on the map.

This process took me 11 minutes to achieve, due to the arduous enrolment process and also patchy mobile signal coverage in the area.

I then got an unexpected letter through the post demanding a sum of £100.00, discounted to £60.00 of course if paid within 14 days of the letter.

Since this was an unexpected arrival, I did some investigation work into what happened as I was under the impression that I was paid up and parked in accordance with their rules. I’d assumed it was the 11 minutes it took to have the ticket issued from first arrival into the car park, however that was not their reasoning. They said I did not have a ticket for their car park “20-28 Cotland´s Road”, but rather I had one for “Cotland´s Road” which is different car park nearby.

As it turns out the map function of Ringo does not have the 3 car parks in the immediate vicinity (20-28 Cotland´s Road, Cotland´s Road and Cotland´s Road Overflow) listed, just Cotland´s Road which is located to the North East of the car park. In fact if you search in the car park code specifically 819627, the map goes to a location somewhere over the mid-atlantic along the equator. Also if you use the function to extract to google maps, there is “no location found”.

(In the evidence folder I have included a screenshot in situ whilst physically stood in 20-28 Cotland´s Road, and another screenshot as proof that the app map function only has the Cotlands Road Car park (59037) shown to the North East).

Being that this particular car park is in Bournemouth, it seems unreasonable to me for the motorist to be able to deduce whether they should go for the only car park listed on the map in the vicinity (with almost the exact same name as the one in question, bar the 20-28 numbers at the front), or the car park in the mid-atlantic but with the correct code. At best it’s a 50/50 choice, and for me the one in the middle of the ocean seemed like the most risky option since it appeared to not exist, hence I went with Cotland´s Road.

I will be writing words to this effect to the 2nd round appeal process and would appreciate any additional arguments. I´ve attached the relevant documents to the file associated for consideration. I have also included some images from the adjacent council car park Cotland´s Road, although didn’t take any of the third car park around the corner Cotland´s Road Overflow as I didn’t think it would bring anything additional to the table.



Many Thanks

https://imgur.com/a/20-28-cotland-s-roads-U14vZ21

Thank you for the response,

Unfortunately I believe was required to make the driver ´selection´on their first round of appealing, so I am afraid that golden ticket will have been blown. I will continue to challenge them for the sake of due process however will go all the way because it´s a problem with their interface on the app (which motorists are forced to use due to their lack of investment in ticket machines).

I´ll update as and when I hear back from them.

Many thanks

Good morning,

I have heard back from the ´Independent Appeals Service´ regarding the subject in this feed, who have, as you expected, ´dismissed´ my appeal. I still believe I was not in the wrong, could you please advise on what I should do next - if anything? My plan was to effectively ignore any further letters or emails unless they're from any authoritative body, since there doesn´t seem to be any appeal options left.

Here´s a summary of what they said, for interest:

..................................................................................................

"The Appellant challenges the parking charge on the basis that the driver paid for parking however it would appear from the comments made and evidence provided that they did not enter the sites location code correctly when making payment. I am satisfied that it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that the terms of parking are properly complied with. Signs are located throughout the site making clear the terms of parking at the location. Whether a driver feels that they have permission to park or not, the contractual terms require the driver to pay for parking using the correct location code and by not ensuring that their location was entered correctly when making payment they agree to pay the charge.

As the guidance to this appeal explains I am bound by the law of contract and cannot consider mistakes or extenuating circumstances, only legal challenges. It would appear that the payment systems were working correctly at all material times and simply that an error was made by the Appellant in not entering their location details correctly when making payment. I am satisfied that no payment was made for the vehicle registered XXXX on the day in question at this location. I appreciate that mistakes can be made, however, as the guidance to this appeal explains I have no discretion. The terms of parking have been breached by the Appellant as they did not ensure that their correct location was entered at the time payment was made and accordingly this appeal is dismissed."

..................................................................................................


Thanks in advance!

Good evening,

I received as expected a reject letter of appeal from the ÍAS´on 13 March stating they dismiss my appeal (as advised by the forum). I am now receiving telephone calls, text messages and and emails from ´BW Legal´demanding the sum of £170.

I haven´t replied to either the IAS or the these ´BW Legal´ characters, the only time I spoke to the,m was the first phone call when I didn´t know who they were, they asked me for my address to pass ´security checks´ to which I said, on the phone, words to the effect of I do not give out personal details over the phone.

I have attached the ´IAS´email and the communications from ´BW Legal´ for review.

If anyone has any advice on how to proceed, would be much appreciated.

https://imgur.com/a/2D96QpB


 

Understood, will do. Now booked. Will update in due course.

Thanks

Good morning,

I received the "Letter of Claim" from a company called "BW Legal" on behalf of "Countrywide Parking Management Limited". The letter has given me a deadline of 06/09/2025 to reply to them. The balance they have stated remains at the moment at £170.

Any assistance of how to proceed is very much appreciated.

The link below has the letter uploaded:
https://imgur.com/a/QhrL67A

Thank you so much for your help, I will reply with the information provided.

Thank you for the continued support with this - these guys have certainly got persistence, it´s only been 9 months they have been trying to get money out of me!...

Cheers!

s there anything in the SAR info they have sent you that is not clear? Can you see anything where they have failed to properly advance this, based on your account of what has happened?