Electric Car Charging Dispute at Local B&Q Parking
While charging my electric vehicle at the Mer EV charging station situated in the B&Q parking lot, I was unexpectedly fined £100 by the parking management company, Ocean Parking. They informed me that parking was not permitted at the site between the hours of 9 PM and 6 AM.
Strangely, there were no indications on the EV charging equipment itself about these restrictions, and my appeals to Ocean Parking were disregarded. Mer, the charging company, expressed regret for the trouble caused, but they refused to provide any assistance in the matter.
DT, Redhill, Surrey
This peculiar parking situation is among the most absurd I’ve encountered. Mer’s website promotes the EV charging station as accessible around the clock. The main signs at the entrance of the Redhill retail park clearly indicate that parking is free for up to two hours. However, the finer print notes that terms and conditions apply.
These are the terms and conditions that Ocean Parking is using to justify the charge. Notably, these conditions are neither displayed on the signs at the park entrance nor near the EV charger. The only hint of any restrictions is in a small font, partially hidden by the charging unit’s frame, instructing drivers to verify any potential parking restrictions, which are explained on different signs scattered around the parking lot.
My initial discussion with Mer revealed a defensive stance, insisting that their signage was sufficient. However, they did acknowledge that their website’s claim of 24-hour availability had led to confusion, which they have since corrected. Ocean Parking, on the other hand, claimed ignorance of the charger’s operation until I contacted them, assuming I was just parking there.
This rationale is weak. I had clearly explained in my appeal that the charger was in use at the time, yet Ocean’s response was to reiterate that users of the charger were not exempt from the parking restrictions.
After further prompting from me, Ocean Parking reiterated, “We maintain that the parking charges were issued correctly under the published conditions.” However, they admitted that the signage near the charging area only met minimal standards. Priding themselves on exceeding these standards, they took a reasonable approach by cancelling all outstanding PCNs related to that location, upheld appeals, and offered refunds to those who had already paid the fines.
In another incident in Leicestershire, CH faced similar issues with a private parking operator after he stopped on a road within a business park to enjoy a cup of coffee. He received a £100 PCN from Euro Parking Services for stopping in a “restricted area” marked by “double yellow lines/crosshatched bay”. Upon appealing, he was asked to prove that this restriction was not clearly marked, prompting him to return to the scene to take pictures.
The response from EPS was another £100 fine. The CCTV images attached to this second PCN captured him attempting to photograph a tiny sign positioned high on a pole. Importantly, the images also showed no yellow lines or hatch markings where he had parked.
As a member of the International Parking Community (IPC), EPS is supposed to ensure that their signage is conspicuous and legible, and they are also required to give a five-minute grace period for drivers to check for restrictions. Despite this, the signage was neither clear nor readable, and EPS refused to cancel both fines even though CH was only on site for 75 seconds.
After raising these issues, EPS decided to waive the second charge but maintained the first. They stated, “We recognize that drivers need to be able to read and, if necessary, photograph signs to make an appeal, and it is not our policy to penalize them for doing so,” despite having done just that.
EPS has announced they are reviewing the site’s signage to ensure clarity and proper positioning for all drivers. Meanwhile, CH has the option to appeal to the IPC, but risks losing a £40 early payment discount if unsuccessful.
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