Bank Park – Should You Pay or Appeal?
Have you received a Bank Park parking fine and are unsure whether to pay or appeal? You’ve come to the right place. Each month, our website is visited by over 130,000 people seeking guidance on fines and parking tickets, which comes as no surprise, as over 19,000 parking fines are issued each day in the UK.1
This article will provide simple and clear information on:
- What Bank Park is.
- Whether you need to pay Bank Park parking fines.
- How to appeal a Bank Park ticket.
- The chances of Bank Park taking legal action.
- How to spot a fake parking ticket.
We know that getting a private parking fine can be very annoying, but there’s no need to worry. We’re here to help you learn more about Bank Park parking fines and what your options are.
Not sure what to write in your parking appeal?
The form asks for contact details to deliver your free MoneyNerd template.
Add your notice details, reasons for disputing the charge and relevant evidence.
General information, not legal advice. Follow your notice’s instructions and deadlines; adapt the wording to your circumstances. No outcome is guaranteed.
Do you have to pay private parking fines (UK)?
Private parking tickets don’t have to be paid unless a court has ordered you to do so. This is because they are not considered genuine fines, but rather, they’re comparable to an invoice. Therefore the company must take you to court to force you to pay.
How much is a ticket?
Bank Park is restricted in what they can charge by Parking Charge Notice caps. The current cap of £100 is going to be halved to £50 in most cases. This change will be in place at some point in time during 2023.
Private car park operators must also give drivers a discount if they pay within 14 days of the alleged contravention. The discount offered must be at least 40%.
I was recently featured in The Sun about parking tickets, where I encouraged everyone to check whether the ticket was issued by a member of a trade association. If they aren’t, then they probably can’t get your details from the DVLA to pursue you.
What to include in your parking appeal
The form asks for contact details to deliver your free MoneyNerd template.
Include the notice reference, your reasons, supporting evidence and the action you want the issuer to take.
The correct process depends on the notice and where it was issued.
General information, not legal advice. Follow your notice’s instructions and deadlines; adapt the wording to your circumstances. No outcome is guaranteed.
Will they take legal action?
So, if you can only be made to pay Bank Park if you lose to them in court, the big question is will they take legal action against you for ignoring them?
This question can’t be answered because nobody knows exactly what they will do. Some car park management companies do take legal action and others don’t. Some begin litigation in some cases and in other cases don’t. It’s a bit of a lottery.
You might receive a letter saying they will take court action if you don’t pay. This letter could be a genuine legal threat, or it could simply be an intimidation tactic, hoping you pay because you’re scared.
If you want to avoid legal action, the only way to guarantee this is to pay the parking ticket.
The RAC found that the number of parking tickets being issued is up by nearly 30%! The report also found that misleading and deliberately confusing signage in private car parks is part of the problem.2
Can you appeal it?
You’re within your legal rights to appeal a private parking ticket from Bank Park or any other company. Appeals usually have to be lodged within 28 days of the alleged parking breach, and they must be made in writing.
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Some companies allow you to appeal online, but there is no suggestion this is possible on the Bank Park website.
Your appeal should state all the reasons you think the ticket shouldn’t have been issued. You probably need to attach evidence to support claims. Bank Park must respond to the appeal within 56 days, or the appeal is accepted.
To learn more about the process to appeal a parking ticket, please check out the table below.
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| On receiving a council PCN | Read the notice, keep it, gather evidence and note all payment and challenge deadlines. |
| Windscreen or handed-to-driver PCN | An informal challenge may be available before the Notice to Owner. Early challenge can preserve a discount under the authority’s policy; 14 days is not a universal final appeal deadline. |
| Postal PCN or Notice to Owner | Normally make formal representations within 28 days as stated on the notice. Do not assume there is an extra informal stage. |
| Representations rejected | The Notice of Rejection explains how to appeal to the appropriate independent tribunal, normally within 28 days. |
| Appeal unsuccessful | Pay by the deadline given in the decision or obtain advice on any available review. Further statutory charges can follow if you do neither. |
| Other ticket type | Private parking charges and FPNs use different procedures; follow the actual notice. |
Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.
Your appeal was rejected – now what?
You can take your appeal to an independent panel if Bank Park rejects your first appeal. They must provide instructions on how to do this at the time of the initial rejection.
Free parking appeal letter template
The form asks for contact details to deliver your free MoneyNerd template.
Explain what happened, why you dispute the charge and include relevant evidence.
General information, not legal advice. Follow your notice’s instructions and deadlines; adapt the wording to your circumstances. No outcome is guaranteed.
Customer reviews – a slippery operation?
Most car park operators receive a lot of negative reviews online due to drivers getting angry that they’ve received a parking ticket. But there was a trend of negative reviews about Bank Park, which all discussed a similar topic. Take a look:
“Like an alarming amount of others, I popped into Tesco in a previously free car park. It said there was a 15 minute window to get a free ticket – I took 9 minutes and now have a £100 fine for a “free parking period”.”
- RB (Trustpilot review)
“Got a £60 parking fine for not “obtaining a free parking session” in a car park which wasn’t previously managed by these guys […]”
- Anthony C (Trustpilot review)
“I parked at one of the locations which previously was completely free but now is operated by this company where you get 30 minutes free but you have to take a ticket from a machine.”
- Stainless (Trustpilot review)
These reviewers are referring to a practice where the driver must take a free ticket and display it in their window. This system is usually in place to stop people parking in the free car park but going elsewhere, such as parking in Tesco but not shopping in Tesco.
However, as the reviews above illustrate, it can catch people out who aren’t aware. Signs should be clear about this.
Prepare your parking appeal
The form asks for contact details to deliver your free MoneyNerd template.
Replace the examples with your own facts and check the recipient before sending.
General information, not legal advice. Follow your notice’s instructions and deadlines; adapt the wording to your circumstances. No outcome is guaranteed.
References
