This addmision will probably go down like a lead balloon but i’m one of thoes idiots who park around the back of the garage shop at Maidstone MSA, bit noisey at times but when all of the official parking spaces are took up what do you do?
Now, here the thing.
Got off the boat last night and due to the delays in Calais i was a tad bit knackered, didnt fancy hoofing it all the way to the customers yard to park so i parked in that little spot on the MSA, well into the kerb and making sure i was in no way causing an obstruction and far enough round the back so there was more parking behind me.
Waking up this morning there was a little yellow sticker on my windscreen ‘■■■■, i thought, i’ve been clamped’. Turns out it was a parking ticket, ‘fair one i thought, i haddnt paid so my own fault’. The note with the parking ticket said i was parked in an unauthorised area causing obtruction to others on the forecourt.
Now then, there are no signs here to tell you not to park, there are no yellow lines there to tell you not to park, in no way was i causing an obstruction to others (if i was then i wouldnt have parked there) and i was’nt parked ON the forecourt.
Whats your take on this? Pay up and hang my head in shame for being such a naughty little boy, send them a letter telling them that they have all their facts wrong, or just dont do anything.
Either way i think id better go find the man in the hi-vis next time
Yes! perhaps you should find the man in hi viz next time, must get expensive after a while.
If there are no signs or other markings to say no parking and you were clearly not causing an obstruction, I personally would argue the toss with them, if there is no where else to park what do you do? for all they know you may have bben out of hours and unable to move, are the advocating you break the law 
Who issues the tickets?
Would it be a civil or a criminal matter?
WAS THE AREA MARKED IN ANY WAY TO SHOW THAT PARKING WAS FORBIDDEN;DID THE MSA HAVE ANY NOTICE BOARDS UP STATEING WHERE LORRYS WHERE TO PARK; HAVE YOU GOT A DIGI-CAMERA
;YES HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY PICTURES; YES-NO: MAKE SURE THAT ANY PICTURES YOU TAKE ARE IN YOUR FAVOUR; NEXT IF YOU CAN GET A
SOLICITER-LAWYER TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND WRITE A LETTER FOR YOU;WHY; BECAUSE IF THEY SEE THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO STAND UP TO THEM ;MAYBE THIS WILL LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY AND
PERHAPS EVERY THING WILL BE ALLOWED TO DROP; WORTH A TRY;
also had you run out of driveing time if so get this in your letter as well.stateing if they wish to carry it further you will bring it to the attension of
your MP as you was only ensureing that you obeyed the law, and also did
not become a hazard to other roadusers,
Andyroo:
Who issues the tickets?Would it be a civil or a criminal matter?
I would have thought civil, like all parking offences, regardless of who owns the land.
The main thing would be whether it ended up being dealt with by a Civil Court (as an actual offence) or Small Claims Court (as money owed), and I would guess that is largely dependant on whether the ticket was issued by (and therefore the fine payable to) a copper or a private firm…and whether the “obstruction” element stuck.
Lucy:
Andyroo:
Who issues the tickets?Would it be a civil or a criminal matter?
I would have thought civil, like all parking offences, regardless of who owns the land.
The main thing would be whether it ended up being dealt with by a Civil Court (as an actual offence) or Small Claims Court (as money owed), and I would guess that is largely dependant on whether the ticket was issued by (and therefore the fine payable to) a copper or a private firm…and whether the “obstruction” element stuck.
Ah that’s what I meant…I didn’t know all parking offences were civil.
The companys name is CP Plus LTD, no phone number just a PO Box address in London.
There were absolutely no signs, yellow lines, hatched areas etc…
Got no photos but can take some next week (could be to late but worth a try).
Is it really worth getting a solicitor onto it though for the sake of £35 or £60 if i dont pay up in 2 weeks, it will prob cost more than this to push it through.
I’ve parked there on several occasions over the last 2 years and never had a problem but i dont think it will happen again.
Got a feeling i’m gonna have to take this on the chin and learn from it. 
So who says you need a solicitor, just get hold of a solicitors letter (I’m sure you could dig one up between yourself and friends) check out the general layout of the letterhead and the type of letters that go after the names, and also how the names are presented. Then make up your own going to your (or a relatives address) and print it off on a decent sheet of paper (e.g. conqueror…if you’re not sure about watermarked paper, ask a decent stationer) then type up a shyster style letter about the problem.
You’ll get a better response if they think you’re in the legal profession and as far as I know it’s not illegal to impersonate a shyster yet (out of court anyway)
Jules
Tek, Grabbit and Run is a decent solicitor who you could use
WAs there a queue of people who couldnt get past you when you woke up?..
NO? then there was no obstuction was there?.
Doesnt the law state there has to be signs saying where you can and cant park?.
I wouldnt pay it purely out of principle and make sure the press were informed.
i have not been in this msa, however
provided there are no signs on the way in saying “free parking for two hours”,you know the ones i mean.
then you should not have to pay
Most MSA parking areas have the standard signs (one or two per MSA) stating all the rules (e.g. free parking for 2 hours, charges after that, etc…
One of the rules is usually “park in marked bays only”. Therefore you were probably in violation of the rules. Sorry.
PPG13 (planning policy guidance) refers to MSAs in its final chapter. They must provide free parking for tired drivers. The difficulty is defining a tired driver. MSAs get round this by giving 2 hours free, then you are not tired anymore; however EEC3820 drivers hours law sees it a bit different.
Parking near the pumps, they cannot clamp you cos it would be dangerous.
I do not believe a parking ticket given at an MSA may not be legally binding as it may be issued in contradiction of PPG13 and therefore illegal.
Please excuse the double negative in the last sentence, my grammar is in decline.
Just ignore it, maybe someone had stolen the sticker overnight
Tommy Cooper said he was congratulated on his driving once
Somebody had put a ticket on his windscreen
it said “Parking Fine” 
it depends on if you own the vehicle or not.
if you own it then you will receive any follow up, if it belongs to someone else then they will receive the follow up, with cp plus they cannot demand to know who was driving the vehicle at the time, the employer does not have to pass on the driver details, if they do without your permission then they are in breach of the data protection act.
driver details need only be passed on if requested by the police etc.
it.s entirely up to you if you are the owner but they will pursue through the courts, your boss stands a better chance of escaping the fine by writing to cp plus and telling them that the driver is no longer employed but he cannot pass on any details due to the data protection act but if cp plus were to obtain a court order he would gladly pass on the details of the driver.
did you pay the parkinbg fee if not then jusyt pay the fine if you did pay the fee to park as is clearly sign post at msa’ s then you could have a case
MrFlibble:
Most MSA parking areas have the standard signs (one or two per MSA) stating all the rules (e.g. free parking for 2 hours, charges after that, etc…One of the rules is usually “park in marked bays only”. Therefore you were probably in violation of the rules. Sorry.
I’m in agreement with McFlibble too. You know the score at MSA’s (or at least you should do if you’re a truckie) so why try to get round it. It doesn’t matter where you park you’re still ‘governed’ by the same rules.
You were in the wrong in this case and you’ve copped for it.
Shut up and pay up (to coin a saying).