Car Parking Enforcement rack up 58 sanction points

[updated 9am 27/10]

Car Parking Enforcement had their membership terminated from the BPA in September 2013. This rather bland press release announces the decision.


This freedom of information request explains why in more detail.

In all, Car Parking Enforcement built up an impressive total of 58 sanction points (only 12 are required for suspension).

Here is the list.

5 sanction points for failing to notify motorist about POPLA
3 sanction points for failing to respond to the BPA 3 times
3 sanction points for inadequate signage
5 sanction points for demanding payment during appeal
2 more sanction points failure to notify motorist about POPLA
10 sanction points for operating without landowner authorisation
4 more sanction points for failing to respond to the BPA 4 times
1 sanction point for not maintaining compliance documentation
10 sanction points for enforcement on sites with no signs
5 sanction points for signage problems
10 sanction points for repeated contravention of the code of practice

Phew!

They were suspended from the AOS on 21st June
Their BPA membership was terminated by a council meeting on 18th September. The meeting was described as 'interesting' by the BPA in an email to the DVLA.

[updated 9am 27/10]

The reason for a large number of these points was revealed in another Freedom of Information request to Bradford MDC.

Around March 2013, members of the public spoke to Council Wardens as they had received parking tickets on Grammar School Street and Vincent Street which had not been issued by the Council. Apparently, the company had put up signs indicating that they were operating in the area and that people would be fined for parking at these locations. In June 2013 we received further information from Council Wardens indicating that this company had been issuing again in Grammar School Street and at the Council car park on Tyson Street

The BPA were made aware of these activities by Bradford MDC in May 2013 and again in June 2013.

The BPA also investigated unauthorised activities between October and December 2012. It is not known when they became aware of these.

It is also unknown how many tickets were issued between the BPA first becoming aware of these activities and barring CPE on June 2013. The DVLA confirm that  99 keeper details were supplied between 1 Oct 2012 and 24 June 2013.

No information is available on whether any effort has been made by the DVLA or the BPA to contact motorists who have paid tickets which were issued without authorisation. Altogether the 99 requests which were made to the DVLA since POFA 2012 came into force on 1 Oct 2012 would allow CPE to trouser almost £10,000 at £100 a ticket.

Bradford MDC informed the police about these activities. It is unknown whether the DLA or the BPA also contacted police. Currently the status of any police investigation is also not known.

The Prankster will report back if new information is forthcoming.

[Update 2]
Here is my link to the July sanction points awarded

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/has-bpa-ltd-grown-teeth.html

As you can see there were 55 points awarded in that month.

There are some anomalies. These sanction points do not appear to show up

1 sanction point for not maintaining compliance documentation
5 sanction points for signage problems
10 sanction points for repeated contravention of the code of practice

These sanction points appear to be due to other operators.

ZZ33 10 No landowner authority
CC33 5 Demanding payment with appeal
QQ11 5 Demanding payment with appeal

Happy Parking

The Parking Prankster