Are Private Parking Firms Scamming Drivers By Doctoring Timing Of Photos?

Drivers around the country are refusing to pay parking fines after claiming that private firms are DELIBERATELY changing timestamps on photos.

The frustrated motorists say they have photographic proof that they are being scammed and that their cars are shown parked at times they were never there.

Simone Riley-Young parked in Tritton Retail Park, Lincoln for 1 hour and 40 minutes, and the car park offered two hours’ free parking.

When she returned to her car she realised she had a fine that claimed her car had been parked for 2 hours and 20 minutes - with a time stamp showing it was there 55 minutes earlier than she had arrived.

She said she appealed the fine expecting it to be thrown out - but was shocked when UKPC rejected her appeal.

Ms Riley-Young said: “I genuinely thought it was human error as there was no way I was at the car park at 7:15, I was still in bed.”

After appealing Parking On Private Land Appeals (POPLA), she was provided with what she says is photographic evidence that apparently shows the car in the car park almost an hour earlier than it was.

She is not the only person to be suspicious about the fines issued in a UKPC car park.

Neil Horton claims he parked his car in a UK Parking Control (UKPC) managed car park in July for just 15 minutes but still received a fine, despite the car park providing 90 minutes’ free parking.

The photographic evidence he received stated that he had left his vehicle for almost two hours - but the images, allegedly two hours apart, show the same car behind Mr Horton’s with its boot open on both pictures.

After parking in Newcastle-under-Lyme, 61-year-old Neil said: "I went to Lidl supermarket to buy three items and was in the shop for no more than quarter of an hour.

“When I returned to my car I was astonished to see that I had received a fine.

"I immediately went back into the supermarket and the manager and myself came out to look for the parking attendant who had completely vanished.

"It is absolutely scandalous.”

After appealing, he added: "They are not going to get a penny out of me.”

Mr Horton got in touch with Alex Shipp, who campaigns as the Parking Prankster, and is now fighting to expose an alleged parking ticket scam.

Mr Shipp said the photos were a “a deliberate manipulation of cameras”, and claimed that ex UKPC wardens received bonuses for exceeding ticket targets.

He has sent a complaint to the British Parking Association (BPA) to ask them to investigate UKPC.

In a statement, the BPA explained that it could not comment on individual cases but they are currently investigating UKPC.

The statement said: “The BPA does not tolerate evidence tampering and is investigating allegations made against UKPC to that effect.

"Motorists should appeal as normal if they believe they have received unfair
parking tickets, firstly to the parking company and then to POPLA, the independent appeals service. POPLA will notify us of breaches of the Code
of Practice so that we can investigate where appropriate.

"Motorists can contact the BPA separately regarding breaches to the Code of Practice, but must include relevant evidence.

"We have not received many direct complaints from motorists about this
particular issue, which would suggest they are following the correct
procedure [by contacting POPLA first].

"The BPA has a scheme of sanctions. By applying sanction points we have
seen operators change their practices for the better.

“Multiple or continued breaches can and do lead to expulsion.”

UKPC did not respond to requests for a comment.