Parking fees at birch services

Our previous post re parking sensors.......on our way home we decided to stop over for a few hours rest as the traffic had been bumper to bumper nearly all the way and we were tired. John went into the services and bought a ticket for £11 to stay overnight....the cashier never asked for a number plate and when I queried it we were both too tired to drive and the weather was bad john also felt unwell. On leaving the services at 5 am next morning the camera flashed us....we kept our receipt which I have now discarded by mistake ...this morning a £60 fine arrived arghhh know they can't uphold this as private charges are unlawful..we have a statement as john paid in debit card as it was me carrying the cash. I can't understand why she never asked fir a number plate ....we are now appealing but it's a hassle BEWARE!!!

I never paid on services when I was driving, got a few letters but ignored them, they did go to the firm though but they got passed onto me but always went in the bin.

There used to be a tale about paying too much, can't remember exactly what it was, maybe Bob or shuggy has heard it, but was something like:
If they send you a bill for £50 send them a cheque for £50.01 legally they can't cash it, and has the law goes you have offered to pay it
Don't do this though, probably not true

We were working on a car in one of the services and were there for over four hours.  Of course we received a fine and photograph of the recovery truck in the post which I filed in the bin. Even threatened with court action which was filed in the same place.  Didn't hear anything after that.
I believe the carpark owners have to prove that they lost money because you were parked there.
However if you purchased a ticket you may know approximately the time and date purchased and also the cost so car park admin should be able to tie it all together.  I would give the Services a ring.

You have a receipt for the payment in the form of your bank statement or credit card statement so no worries, let them do as they will (probably nothing) and if it ends up in court (unlikely) they will have to pay your expenses and costs and are left to find out who took your payment and how that payment was accounted for, probably stolen by a member of staff by putting it through the till and taking out the cash.

Where are Birch Services Marie?  I would like to avoid the service area if possible.

Tugga wrote:

Where are Birch Services Marie?  I would like to avoid the service area if possible.

M62 near Bury/Manchester not a nice place.

Thanks Bob, not gonna stop there in the future if I can help it  

There're all the same Cheryl, ANPR systems in use in most service areas now, stay over 2 hour and they will be onto you

Thanks Ken, we generally don't stay for 2 hours, just enough time to make a cuppa and drink it and wash up, perhaps thats why we have never encountered this problem.

Thanks Guys.

I think the moral is to pay by mobile phone. Most parking areas now have signs guiding you to pay by mobile.

Ive emailed emailed the parking company even though legally I didn't have to and sent the line of the copy of bank statement also 
Rang the services who are taking it very serious with the member of staff concerned. Went on to Martin money.com who tells you never to pay the fine or parking fee as it's illegal....but we always play fare...it also says they can't enforce any ticket in you only councils can do that...will stay in a layby next time lol

Barb n me had the same thing happen a couple years ago at services on M20 Maidstone when we pulled in at 02.00 hrs for a couple of hours kip and slept for 4 hrs.

We just drove off when we woke and didn't get the fine until we got home 5 weeks later, just rung them up and told them take me to court, never heard from them again.

As you all know, you can park up as long as you like without cost in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy etc  and yet it's just hassle and cost here in the U.K. at Service Stations. No wonder so many Motorhomers prefer to go abroad! - Us included!

I know the 2 hour limit here applies to all vehicles, but for many Motorhomers it is often good to rest up for a while at such places....we even overnight at them when travelling through Mainland Europe, yet never stop at them in the U.K. 

Motoring, whatever one is driving, is usually a much nicer experience the other side of the Channel - especially in a Motorhome! It is also safer when you know you can rest up for as long as you need to without worrying about parking restrictions.
  
Perhaps we should all 'vote with our wheels' and have all rallies and holidays out of the U.K! - I wish!!!!! (Especially in this weather).


Woody.

.thanks for taking the time on this thread......so where do you all stop enroute home or to a destination when your tired....interesting...when we start doing Europe this year Woody maybe we will get the bug lol not done it yet....being self employed means the buck stops here...so have to be in Uk to earn the money to keep the wheels on the road. Lol  ( like many of us )

Sorry Angel Mac, no offence meant. My final paragraph above was said 'tongue in cheek'.

If we have a long motorway journey in the U.K. I try to Google Earth the route before hand and look for somewhere just off a junction to pull up, dog walk and make a cup of tea.  (Many intersections are either fairly rural, or have a parking area near them). Lots of of the Continental Service Stations, especially in Italy, even have somewhere for Motorhomes to dump their waste and refill with water at no charge......let alone park as long as you want to for free! (Plus good dog walking areas).

We are fortunate in that we can go for longer than a couple of weeks at a time as we are early retirees. However, two weeks is long enough, even from up north, to go to France for a holiday. There was a thread on another Motorhome site a few months back where someone asked if they should do Cornwall or France for two weeks this summer. (The question was asked by someone who hadn't been abroad in their van previously). There must have been almost 50 replies.....and all but one said to go to France. It is SO much easier to Motorhome beyond our shores, even for a short while! 'Go for it' this year and you won't regret it.

All I was trying to do re the 'opening post' was to show the difference towards motorway service area parking in the U.K. and on the Continent. For us Motorhomers the Continental ones win every time. - I know one reads reports of robberies etc, but common sense applies. Someone on the other Motorhoming site got their van stolen from outside their home in Yorkshire last week. These things happen everywhere and you just have to make a judgement of the situation. We haven't had any problems so far, but I would never become complacent.

Good luck and enjoy your holiday wherever you decide to spend it.
Woody.

Thanks Woody no offence taken at all it's nice to share...:-))

Often do the trip from the West Country, (home), to Leeds, (son lives there), but not usually in the Motorhome. If we ever travel up in 'Molly' I'll be asking you for  nice parking places in Yorkshire! - Yes, it's good to share!

Have a good day. - Dry and 'almost sunny' here for once!
Woody.