Parking permit holder protests over fines (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Parking permit holder protests over fines in Harpenden railway station

12:23pm Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News By Rebecca Perring, Reporter

A Harpenden resident is "outraged" after receiving five parking tickets in a month despite owning a year-long permit to park in Harpenden railway station.

Nilesh Desai applied for a year-long parking permit costing just over £1,000 in May 2012 due to commuting into London every day for work.

Mr Desai received his first fine of £75 for non-payment on December 10 and has been receiving them ever since.

Due to a problem in the transfer of data from the previous car park supplier, RingGo, to the current supplier, Apcoa, details of Mr Desai’s season ticket permit have not been transferred or registered.

The 37-year-old immediately complained to Apcoa, who advised him to write a letter of complaint every time he received a ticket.

Mr Desai said: "When I first received a parking ticket, I thought it was a mistake. It is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

"Why should I have to write a letter every time I receive a ticket because they have not completed their jobs properly?"

Mr Desai has refused to pay any of the fines and says he is "upset" following threats of debt collectors.

Following numerous complaints, Apcoa has now advised Mr Desai to provide and send in evidence of his year-long permit. However Mr Desai said he refuses to send in evidence because of "the principle".

He said: "I don’t see why paying customers should have to send in evidence considering they have paid for a service.

"Evidence of customer parking permits should have been negotiated when both companies changed hands."

Roger Perkins, a spokesman from First Capital Connect, who operate the car park, said: "We do not want our customers to be given parking tickets if they have paid to park which is why our contractor has done all that it can to find out which cars are registered.

"It is a simple process and not unreasonable - all Mr Desai has to do show his receipt to Apcoa or even just the registration number of his main vehicle which will be on the database if his permit is still valid.

"Otherwise, there is no way Apcoa can establish if he has paid to park."