Havering Council’s Parking Ticket Scandal – Part 2
Following on from part 1, Mr Jones picks up where he left off and continues to write about the alleged criminal actions of Havering Council’s Parking Department.
In part 1, readers will have already seen how the parking department believes it is able to operate without redress. Now, as if it could, it just gets worse. In another instance, a good friend who was issued with a PCN – Contravention 30, at the same location, appealed. Guess what? They received a reply back from the parking department with the words, “I can confirm this Penalty Charge Notice was cancelled due to free parking at this location on the date of contravention”. How very strange, an identical PCN, with the same contravention code, issued after the date the above PCN WAS cancelled, WASN’T! Nothing at the location had changed. The machine is still out of order, covered up with a bag, and had a notice saying parking is free. Either parking is free, or it is not! I am just desperate to know how the parking department is going to explain that anomaly. They cannot pick and choose which PCNs, with the same contravention code, at exactly the same location, and under exactly the same circumstances, they will or will not cancel. That is perverting the course of justice. A criminal offence.
The next instance is just utterly deplorable, and incomprehensible, and gives unimpeachable credence to the disgusting, illegal and underhand way the parking department thinks and believes they can operate with such impunity. My thanks to the several individuals who have corroborated these events.
Recently, a motorist was issued with, you guessed it, a PCN, Contravention 30, at the same location. They noticed the parking attendant and went over to remonstrate and asked for the attendant to stop writing the ticket because the machine was out of order and there was a notice saying that parking was free. The rude and arrogant attendant, (witnesses, remember), pointed to the sign saying, ‘parking was for a maximum of 3 hours and the vehicle had been parked for more than 3 hours’. The motorist remade their comment that the machine was out of order and parking was free. The attendant was having none of it. He walked over to the machine, lifted the bag off and pointed at something the motorist couldn’t see or read, then added that it says here ‘parking is for a maximum of 3 hours’. He replaced the bag back over the machine before issuing the PCN on the vehicle. There were quite a number of witnesses to all of this as the motorist continued to engage the attendant asking for the PCN to be withdrawn. You wouldn’t and couldn’t make up what happened next, but the parking department did. Because they are so arrogant and full of themselves, they believe they are above the law and whatever they do is beyond reproach.
The parking attendant went back to the vehicle and removed the PCN. Whilst doing so, he stated, quite clearly in front of everyone, ‘he agreed with the motorist and would take the PCN back to the office to be cancelled’. Yeah right! A week after the grace period to appeal had been exceeded, the motorist received a letter from the parking department demanding the full penalty payment for the PCN was now due and to pay immediately. Strangely, the attendant said he would get the PCN cancelled.
All of this information was relayed to the parking department. When the attendant was initially questioned, he denied removing the PCN. He was then given a second chance to explain his actions and was forced to admit that he had indeed removed the PCN and failed to get it cancelled. What makes this the biggest scandal of all parking scandals, not only did he remove the PCN and fail to get it cancelled, he lied to his superior, and then he was given a second chance to clear himself. The removal of the PCN and failure to cancel it, thereby causing the motorist to be told they owed £80.00 when they didn’t, is an undeniable act of perverting the course of justice. If you or I were to lie to our employer and more seriously, have committed a criminal act, we would have been shown the door faster than you can say PCN. Not this attendant. He still has his job and is no doubt out on the streets boasting about his actions and still issuing illegal, underhand and incorrect PCNs. What has the parking department got to say about that? Let’s start with… Cop out No. 3… “We cannot possibly comment on the individual actions of any of our employees….” And, yes, and I guarantee very reluctantly, the PCN was cancelled. The parking department didn’t have a ’leg to stand on’ on this occasion. Too many witnesses to an abhorrent criminal act!
Wow! The abject incompetence goes from the sublime to the ridiculous. What follows just proves that all of the instances above were, and are, illegal, underhand and incorrect. Having changed the notice from saying ‘parking is free’, to now say ‘overstaying is in force’, completely proves that the parking department knew, and know they were wrong to issue PCNs. Week commencing 23/01/2023, a new notice suddenly appeared on the same pay & display machine. Stop, laughing, you’re ahead of me… They couldn’t even get that right! They say, ‘pay peanuts you get monkeys’. Not on this occasion, I wouldn’t want to denigrate monkeys, they at least have a brain and would do a far better job. In this instance, amoebas could also do better, and for less money too. The new notice reads, “The Pay & Display Machine at this location (Elm Park Avenue) is currently not in operation and is Temporarily Free to Park For the maximum stay of 3 hours with no return within 2 hours For the duration of operational times Mon – Sat 8:30am – 6:30pm Please check daily We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause”. Yes, the above is written correctly. The only punctuation is the full stop after the word ‘cause’. Now the Council are saying the pole-mounted sign is wrong, but wasn’t that what the parking department used previously to issue illegal, underhand and incorrect PCNS for Contravention code 30? Plus, this notice, as was the other one, is also in complete contradiction to the sign. Note above ‘no return within 2 hours’, yet the sign says ‘no return within 3 hours’. If a motorist parks and leaves within the 3 hour time limit, then returns after 1 hour 59 minutes, the parking attendant will issue a different PCN, but still illegal, underhand and incorrect, based on the notice. However, if a motorist parks and leaves within the 3 hour time limit and then returns after 2 hours 1 minute, the parking attendant will issue a similar PCN, still illegal, underhand and incorrect, but this time, based on the sign. Either the sign or the notice applies. They can’t have it both ways, or pick and choose. This utter incompetence is just beyond comprehension and once again PROVES BEYOND ALL DOUBT, THE PARKING DEPARTMENT ARE MAKING THINGS UP ‘ON THE FLY’! Neither the sign nor the notice are legally enforceable as they are contradictory and totally ambiguous. The machine is covered up and cannot possibly be used. ANY PCN issued at this location is WRONG!! The CoPoCPE paragraph quoted above proves it! Will the amoebas be able to prove what they have done is right? Let’s not forget, the amoebas are now going to have to put up another notice, further compounding, the abject failures already made. Any bets as to how long it will be before it happens, and how many more illegal, underhand and incorrect PCNs will be issued against either, the notice or the sign, before a correct notice is in place?
That folks, is how the Council’s parking department operates. They honestly believe they can do so with impunity, are above the law, and make up their actions as they go along. They also believe they can pick and choose what information/signs/notices will apply so they can issue illegal, underhand and incorrect PCNs, as well as pick and choose which PCNs, issued for contravention code 30, they will or will not cancel. ALL in direct breach of the CoPoCPE. Plus, as many an unfortunate motorist has found out, this location is not the only location where such illegal, underhand and incorrect PCNs are being issued. It is happening right across the London Borough of Havering. And this Council was a finalist of the British Parking Awards 2021. ROTF PMSL!!!!
All of these criminal actions, because that’s what they are, are a direct result of the previous administration. The corrupt and ‘go get ‘em’ at all costs’ culture was actively encouraged in order to generate additional revenue. We have a new administration now, and, having been the recipient of two underhand PCNs, the Councillor is fully aware of the irregularities occurring within the parking department. NOW would be a good time to start to root out this top-to-bottom corruption and ensure the parking department begins to operate transparently, legally, and wholly within the CoPoCPE. They should also guarantee that ALL parking attendants are adequately retrained to enforce civil parking fairly, accurately and consistently, AND WHOLLY WITHIN THE CoPoCPE. If that were to happen there would be no need for the Council to cancel any PCN! Yeah right! In the words of one contributor…., ‘They are big, pink and ready to fly’.
We cannot blame the new Councillor who has taken over. They have only just acquired this position and still have a lot to learn. These ongoing and irreprehensible actions are the result of the last administration’s lackadaisical attitude to the way the Parking Department was and has been allowed to run when previous Councillors were in charge. But, there are no excuses for the Head of the Parking Department not knowing what is and has been happening. They have been in that position for some time and will be fully aware of the activities that are occurring under their watch. Hopefully, now the new Councillor in charge is fully aware of the nefarious activities within the parking department, they will get to grips with the issues and stop these actions immediately. They must not let this new administration end up with a similar ‘name’ that the last administration acquired regarding parking. They should also remember that motorists have a long memory when issued with illegal, incorrect and underhand PCNs, and are then forced into paying. Many motorists, including me, who were the recipients of such a PCN, will happily remember what happened to a previous Councillor in charge of parking when they oversaw the illegal and underhand use of the Smart Car, in complete contradiction to the then relevant CoPoCPE. The Councillor failed to be re-elected at the next Council elections and was last seen disappearing in to the sunset carrying a miniature replica of the Smart Car. Given to them by those now happy, but badly treated motorists. If the new Councillor fails to clean up the parking department then the same fate may befall them. Only, this time, it won’t be a miniature replica Smart Car, it will be a miniature replica on-street Pay & Display machine. One small but eerily and uncanny coincidence; both the previous Councillor and current Councillor have the same first name. I really do hope that this is not a bad omen and a sign of things to continue.
An added note… I refuse to use the term ‘CEO’, (allegedly – Civil Enforcement Officer), for a parking attendant. Quite simply, none of them are civil. Most are downright rude and arrogant and ‘upemselves’. But then again, another problem is the term ‘Parking Attendant’. This implies the person is in charge of attending to cars within a car park. Can’t really use that either because none of them are fit to be in such a position of great responsibility. Perhaps I should call them ‘Parking Officers’. No, that’s no good either, they are not ‘Officer’ material, (old Army reference). ‘Parking Operative’ seems OK, but I wouldn’t trust any of them to Operate a key-locking mechanism. Looks like I am going to have to revert to CEO after all. Yes, CEO, sounds great…. Car-parking Extortionate Official. But, there is also another one, probably more suitable and needs no explanation. CEO… Criminal Exploitation Official. Yes, that’ll do nicely. The best of a best compromise. It’s official, they are all exceptional at exploiting the motorist and extorting money by issuing PCNs for car parking, that are illegal, underhand and incorrect. Criminal acts for certain!
I appreciate the Council will have been given an opportunity to respond before these articles are published. It will be interesting to see what, if any, their responses are. Rather than try and list all of the questions I have here, that list will be given to the parking department at the same time as the articles. Will they be able to provide, without waffle or excuses, factual and documented answers for each question? And will those answers justify and confirm every action they have made in relation to each of the incidents mentioned in these articles, were/are correct? I guess that’s a No then.
My grateful thanks to everyone who has supplied me with so much additional information and allowed me to write this article using their information. It is only when enough people get together to highlight such scandalous activities that something might get done. The actions of this parking department are beyond scandalous, they are downright dishonest and criminal, and heads should roll for allowing such actions to, not only occur, but also, to continue to occur.
Finally, the standard media get-out that is given at the end of many articles…. If anyone has been a victim or affected by this obnoxious and detestable scam, then in all instances you should write directly to the Head of Parking at Havering, – Jo.Green@havering.gov.uk and the Councillor in charge of Parking – CouncillorBarry.Mugglestone@havering.gov.uk to make a formal complaint about the way their situation has been handled. At the same time they should ask for a full explanation as to why the PCN – Contravention Code 30, was issued illegally, and not cancelled, when it is unequivocally clear, another, identical in every way, PCN was. The parking department, in their own words stated, “THE PCN WAS CANCELLED DUE TO FREE PARKING AT THIS LOCATION ON THE DATE OF CONTRAVENTION”. You should then end your complaint by demanding a full refund of all monies paid.
If anyone who has been a victim of these crimes would like to use any the details above, please feel free to copy & paste any part of the articles that may be useful. For even more information, download the CoPoCPE. The link is given below. The document can then be downloaded by clicking (i) of the image in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
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I imagine it is a Labour council. Petty bureaucracy is the hallmark of the left, along with corrupt politicians! Look at the shambles of the current Office of the mayor of London and ULEZ, the bankruptcy of London Transport, the Hammersmith Bridge fiasco, the blocking off of side roads . . . The time is ripe for a Parking Ombudsman to counteract the rampant spivery endemic in the parking business! Highway robbery in legalized form! Surprised that the uniform of the attendants doesn’t include eyemasks and flintlocks and the training for the uncouth cretins that pounce on unwary citizens doesn’t include a ride on a horse from London to York! These ambiguous, confusing signs should be made illegal and British Standard put into practise! The spivs should be gotten rid of by making the wardens’ companies adhere to higher standards and the employee standard should be set higher than mouth breathing knuckle scraper level! Tenders should be looked at annually! Remember,if MPs can act like scuzzbuckets, and councillors are known to accept fat, brown envelopes, well, the spivs in the fleece-u-for parking biz are more than likely to be shysters!!!
I contacted HD two weeks ago about the “disabled” bays on Dolphin Approch, which are (by the Council’s own admission) smaller than regular disabled bays. My husband’s car was ticketed for being 2mm over the white line and have rejected my appeal despite their admissions that the bays are small. I will be taking it to a Tribunal, but it’s blatant profiteering out of disability. Wardens patrol there every ten minutes given the proximity to the police station. It’s a disgrace!
fight it i did and won
Dear Mr Nutley,
Thank you for your email and please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.
I have reviewed the Penalty Charge Notice and the evidence that you have supplied and can confirm that the decision has been made to cancel the Penalty Charge Notice on this occasion. Please be advised that when a challenge is received the decision to reject or cancel is based on the evidence of the Civil Enforcement Officer. As you will see from the attached photographs taken at the time of contravention it appears the vehicle was not parked close to the kerb edge therefore causing the vehicle to be over the bay markings.
The points you have raised regarding the size of the bays has been passed to our Schemes Department to carry out an inspection. You can contact them directly by emailing Schemes@havering.gov.uk.
The Pay and Display Machines at this location have been covered so drivers can park for free, for up to 3 hours. Where possible machines continue to be repaired.
Kind regards,
Miss Price
Miss Price | Process and Debt Recovery Team Leader