Exeter driver clamped despite displaying ticket
A CITY mum was ordered to pay £100 after her car was clamped — because she paid at the wrong parking machine which was owned by the same firm.
Mum-of-three Kim Spearey, 25, from St Thomas, had her vehicle clamped at Victoria Yard car park, near Exeter College, despite buying a two-hour ticket.
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The pay and display sign in Victoria Yard car park in Exeter, which also has meter bays
Drivers have described the car park as the most confusing in the city.
Despite all the bays being operated by the same company, Premier Parking Solutions, drivers face being clamped if they use the wrong meter. Ms Spearey parked at the site to attend her boyfriend’s art exhibition at the college.
She parked in one of the bays and bought a ticket from a pay and display machine a few yards away. When she returned she discovered the car was clamped by Sapphire Security on behalf of Premier Parking Solutions — despite having more than an hour left on the ticket.
When she queried the clamp she was told she had paid at the wrong machine and was asked to pay a £100 release fee.
Her car was parked in one of three spaces regulated by individual meters rather than the pay and display machine — all operated by the same company.
Ms Spearey is five months pregnant with her fourth child and has finished a degree in law and social policy. She claimed that, as far as she was concerned the individual meters cannot be seen when reversing into the bay. And the most prominent signs in the car park instruct drivers to use the pay and display machine. “I have looked into the details and unless it is clearly stipulated that there are separate meters then they have no right to take the money from me,” she said.
“I have spoken with a solicitor who has said I have a good enough case to take the matter to the small claims court.
“It is my belief that it is purposefully confusing. The first thing you see is the pay and display signs. The very fact I went and bought a ticket from the pay and display machine shows it was not clear.”
Other motorists have also expressed concerns about the site.
Steve Elliott, 48, uses the car park once a week for work. He was recently clamped for using a different section of the car park, which he claimed was badly signed and not painted.
He said: “I would call it Exeter’s most confusing car park.” Mr Elliott, who lives in Swindon, said he was trying to claim the money back and would go to court if necessary.
Student Carl Whiteway, 21, from Newton Abbot, had heard tales of the car park.
He said: “In my first year people were getting clamped and ticketed for being down at the back of the car park, but it is not clearly marked and I still don’t think it is.”
A spokesman for Premier Parking Solutions said: “I will get someone to do a site survey of the car park.
“We may have taken the car park over from another operator, but a few people have been concerned about this car park. We will see if we can make it clearer.”
He said the car park exceeded British Parking Association standards.
The Echo contacted Sapphire Security but has not received a comment.
13 Comments
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by David, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 6:26PM
“These people are just horrid, clearly taking advantage of confusing signs and despirate drivers. I beleive the full force of the law should be applied to them, they may be working within the letter of th elaw bot definately not the spirirt of the law. Why does our council allow such activity? Why does the college not act to support their students?”
by Martin, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 4:36PM
“I once got a ticket for parking out the front of Central Station. I left my car to see off my girlfriend on the train (was gone a minute), only to return to find that I had a ticket, issued by the guy hiding in an unmarked white van, clearly waiting to pounce on people like me.
Beware of these low-lifes. And they wonder why people hate traffic wardens so much?”
by Dave, Tiverton
Friday, June 26 2009, 2:55PM
“I use to work for premier parking solutions( formely known as wj parking ) which also unsurprisingly own sapphire security.They make an absolute fortune in fines in people parking at Exeter college where you need both a permit and a ticket to park. As regards Victoria yard it use to be the case that network rail owned the piece of land by the railway line(by the fence) and unless you worked for network rail and displayed one of there permits regardless of wether you bought a ticket or not you would get a PCN OR in the evening clamped.You very rarely win any appeals because there signs are unfortunatley legal but very hard to read as there is so much to read and if they make it to easy they would get no fines.The company only survives on fines.I use to issue 50 to 60 a week.My advice stay clear of any parking that is owned by pps( including central station).I will not give them a penny in parking revenue.”
by Sally, Devon
Friday, June 26 2009, 2:38PM
“Ateacher - most of us have to pay to get to work, it's hardly you being singled out.
Although you provide a valuable service, you're not alone. See the fuss about NHS staff having to pay at the hospital - now THATS justified.
Normal people in normal jobs pay daily too - we just don't moan about it.”
by Nicola, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 2:36PM
“Seems to me like they are in the busy to make money by creating a confusing parking systems. Does it really matter which machine you pay at!!!
I for one will NEVER park at a Premier Parking Solutions car park.”
by Bill, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 1:16PM
“Contact them and ask them for a VAT receipt. Apparently this annoys them.”
by ateacher, exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 12:57PM
“Imagine being 'lucky' enough to work for Exeter College... you get to pay £6 a day just to go to work... I've incurred over £100 in parking fines this year alone. Just be grateful you're not a valued employee of Exeter College,”
by kim spearey, exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 12:48PM
“hi guy, thanks for all of your comments, its great to see i have the publics backing!! unfortunately i have had to pay the fine to get the clamp removed as i am heavily pregnant and had to collect my other children from childcare, i had no option but to pay for the clamp to be removed, just had a letter from them stating that my appeal has not been granted and i will not get a refund, off to small claims it is then!!!”
by Karima, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 12:19PM
“I don't understand why Exeter City Council can allow such a bully of a company to run major car parking areas in town. I know several people who've had terrible experiences with them, each in a different way that proves they're just after our money..”
by Paul, Exeter
Friday, June 26 2009, 12:13PM
“I have also fallen foul of "Premier Parking Solutions" at Victoria Yard having parked and bought a ticket. When I returned to my car I had a £30 fine. As I was reading it wondering what the hell happened I saw another driver doing exactly the same. The reason we had both got a ticket was because we failed to notice that you also needed a college parking permit. The problem is that the more people that PPS rip off, the more money they get. Exeter College should look at the damage to their PR and change the system.”