Parking Eye admits 'technical problem' led to people being wrongly charged for parking at the Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre in Bispham

A pensioner was sent a parking ticket following a trip to the Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre in Bispham - despite staying there for just 39 minutes.
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Garry Hamer accused the Parking Eye cameras of being out of order, saying he should have been fine to park at the Bristol Avenue facility for two hours.

The 82-year-old, of Boston Avenue, a retired bakery sales manager, said: "If they are faulty, they should switch them off."

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Parking Eye initially insisted Mr Hamer had "parked in the emergency drop-off zone", which has a 20-minute limit, but later admitted: "A technical problem was identified with our systems and was resolved later that day and no further issues have since been identified.

Garry Hamer, 82, was sent a demand for 70 after parking at the Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre, in Bristol Avenue, Bispham, for 39 minutes. Parking Eye has now admitted an error with its system and cancelled the fine (Pictures: Daniel Martino for JPIMedia)Garry Hamer, 82, was sent a demand for 70 after parking at the Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre, in Bristol Avenue, Bispham, for 39 minutes. Parking Eye has now admitted an error with its system and cancelled the fine (Pictures: Daniel Martino for JPIMedia)
Garry Hamer, 82, was sent a demand for 70 after parking at the Moor Park Health and Leisure Centre, in Bristol Avenue, Bispham, for 39 minutes. Parking Eye has now admitted an error with its system and cancelled the fine (Pictures: Daniel Martino for JPIMedia)

"Affected motorists have now been notified in writing and we expect no further complications to arise."

Mr Hamer, who drives for Trinity Hospice and also helps with maintenance at the All Hallows church, said he was sent a £70 ticket after a trip to the centre on Wednesday, January 15.

He took it into the reception desk, where he said a worker took out a wad of complaints and told him to "join the queue" of disgruntled motorists.

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"Even the staff are being fined for parking," Mr Hamer said. "Apparently the cameras have been faulty for quite a while," he added, saying those ticketed since the malfunction should now be refunded.

The centre has a council-run swimming pool, gym, and library, as well as three GP practices and a pharmacy, and a cafe. A children's play area and small all-weather sports pitch are outside.

Its 230-space car park is owned by pharmacy and medical real estate firm Assura, which tore up tickets handed out to confused drivers after the cameras were installed by Parking Eye in August 2017.

The restrictions, brought in because the car park was regularly rammed, leaving people struggling to find a space, allow for two hours' free parking - or three if drivers enter their details - in a regular space.

Some 61 signs warn of the limits.

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Mr Hamer insisted he did not park in a disabled spot or the short stay area, saying he was "right round the back" of the car park.

Another man, David Wood, got a ticket after his daughter, Red Marsh School teacher Heather Wood, 34, used his Seat Ibiza to take her son Paddy, one, for a doctor's appointment on Monday, January 20.

The 63-year-old, of King's Walk, Cleveleys, said photographs showed her driving into and out of the car park, with the ticket claiming she parked in either a disabled space or the short stay zone. He said there was "no evidence" that she did, and said: "She is vehement that she parked in a proper space. They parked round the back."

Mr Wood said he wrote about his experience online, and heard from several others who said they have been in a similar situation.

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"Some people have paid because they did not want the hassle," he said.

Mr Wood said his daughter stayed in the car park for an hour and one minute. He said he was prepared to take his fight to court, although Parking Eye cancelled his ticket after being contacted by The Gazette.

"I wonder if they are going to cancel all the other tickets they have issued when they were having technical issues," Mr Wood said.

An investigations team was "looking through the cases to double-check", a spokesman for the firm said, and will "automatically cancel and let people know".

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Writing on Facebook, Luce McMillan urged Mr Wood to take his ticket into reception at Moor Park, and added: "They will deal with it. They said the camera is faulty. I got a fine for driving off the car park. I made the mistake of paying the fine in a panic. I hate owing anything, then I got another so I went to ask and the lady at the desk had hundreds all piled up and ready to sort out."

Ann Burton added: "I have had four this week. Apparently they have an issue with cameras. I am taking my latest two in tomorrow; reception just take them off you. [They] accused me of parking in a disabled bay for two hours - rubbish. They are a damn pain."

And Jenny Slater said: "Mum's had a few as she's a member there. They've been sorted by the reception."

Norbreck councillor Maxine Callow, who helped get Mr Hamer's ticket thrown out, said she has dealt with several complaints about the cameras.

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She said: "What concerns me is we have vulnerable people going to the doctors who don't feel very well and are waiting for test results, and the last thing you want is a parking system that appears not to be working properly."

Assura, which owns the car park, said: "We're sorry to all patients who have received tickets in error due to the current problems with Parking Eye’s cameras.

"We have asked Parking Eye to ensure that these are cancelled immediately. The system is there to ensure that all users of the building can get a space when they need to, so we are working to make sure these issues are resolved quickly.”

Local MP Paul Maynard, who represents Blackpool North and Cleveleys for the Conservatives, wrote to the company when motorists were caught out by the new rules in 2017.

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An aide today said his office will help those who have been affected if they get in touch.

Last week, a picture was posted to the Facebook group Bispham Chat, which has more than 10,000 members.

It purported to be a notice from the council's leisure department and warned: "Parking Eye will be doing patrols of the car park and ticketing cars that have been illegally parked."

Mike Pollard said in a comment: "It appears 'some' people had been parking on the hatched areas, taking up two bays, blocking doorways and restricting free access for ambulances."

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Mr Pollard, who has spoken out against the use of parking cameras elsewhere on the Fylde coast in recent years, added: "It's no wonder they've brought a patrol in."

PROLIFERATION OF AUTOMATIC PARKING CAMERAS

ANPR cameras work by automatically scanning the registration plates of vehicles. Traffic police officers use them to tackle uninsured drivers and dangerous vehicles, with their on-board system checking reg plates against a huge database and flagging up any that don't appear to be taxed, insured, or have a valid MoT. They are also used on motorways to track suspects and solve and prevent crime.

But they are also now being used, on an increasingly regular basis, to enforce restrictions on car parks. In the past, motorists had to hope eagle-eyed wardens didn't clock them parking for too long where they should not have been. But now every single vehicle can be checked by one or two cameras in an instant, with invoices sent through to the post to their registered keepers.

Supermarkets, hotels, and leisure parks all now use the cameras.

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Last year, the introduction of cameras at the Festival Leisure Park in Rigby Road, central Blackpool, caused controversy.

Some drivers were caught out and fined after a three-hour restriction was brought in, though people can register to stay for longer.

Those in favour of the cameras claim they crack down on those who take up spaces they shouldn't, freeing up much-needed spaces for customers and patrons.

But others claim they are simply cash-cows, targeting motorists for money.

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Coun Tony Williams, the opposition leader at Blackpool Council, said previously: "They are not issuing 'fines'; they are private parking charges issued by aggressive private parking companies who then bully those who they state have over-stayed their welcome by threatening them with court action."

HOW TO APPEAL A PARKING EYE CHARGE

Parking Eye said it does not take appeals over the phone. It said they must be done "in writing to ensure a fully audited" process.

They can be filed online at www.parkingeye.co.uk/contact-us, or by post by writing to: Parking Eye Limited, PO Box 117, Blyth, NE24 9EJ.

"You must attach any evidence with your appeal and we will aim to respond within 21 days."

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