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#Post#: 104265--------------------------------------------------
Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: January 2, 2026, 3:26 am
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Received Letter Before Claim from Gladstone Solicitors on behalf
of Horizon regarding alleged overstay at Tesco Car Park,
Wokingham on 15/11/2024.
This letter, dated 23/12/25 is the first correspondence
received.
The PCN concerns an approx 6 hour stay at Tesco Car Park.
Horizon has photo evidence of vehicle entering car park at
07:09:57 on the 15/11/24
They also have photo evidence of vehicle leaving car park at
13.09.22 on 15/11/24
The driver is not disputing entering and leaving the car park at
those times. However, the evidence show 2 separate visits.
The vehicle left the car park approx. 15 mins after entering so
entered at 07:09:57 and left approx. 07:24
The vehicle re-entered the car park approx. 15 mins before
13:09:22 so approx. 12:55
The first exit and second entry has not been recorded by the
camera system and so it is seen as one 6 hour visit which would
be an overstay.
The driver visited the Tesco store before work and then drove
and parked at their company car park whilst at work. They then
returned to the Tesco store during a lunch break. At no time did
the driver or vehicle overstay.
The driver moved address prior to the PCN dates. The drivers
license was updated with the new address at the time but the V5C
wasn't updated until afterwards (05/01/25). It would seem
previous correspondence went to the previous address.
So that's the detail. Is there anyway to fight this? The length
of time means that it can't be appealed directly with Horizon,
which would have happened immediately had the driver been aware
of the PCN being issued. Would Horizon still have data from the
date of the PCN? The vehicle was absolutely not in the car park
for the length of time the PCN details. It would not have made
sense for the driver to park there and then walk to work, then
walk back to pick up the vehicle and return to work.
The work car park doesn't have CCTV unfortunately so there is no
real way to prove this.
Is it worth the fight or should the fine be paid to make this go
away? If there had been genuine fault by the driver it would
have been accepted and paid but it's just not what happened!
TIA
#Post#: 104266--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: InterCity125
Date: January 2, 2026, 3:40 am
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Classic 'double dip' - A DD is where the camera system picks up
two separate visits but records them as one long visit.
Carry out an online search to see if this car park has a known
history of 'double dips'.
#Post#: 104269--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: January 2, 2026, 3:56 am
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Thank you for the reply!
I have had a search and there was a successful campaign against
fines issued due to a system fault with parking spaces but not
double dipping. I did wonder if others had been caught by this
around that time.
It's frustrating that so much time has elapsed as it would have
been appealed immediately, both in store and with Horizon!
#Post#: 104270--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: jfollows
Date: January 2, 2026, 3:56 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Don’t over-stress on “proof”.
Ultimately, if it came to it, Horizon have to prove that you
parked for six hours, which they can’t, and your statement about
two separate trips would be proof enough.
These companies know that their systems fail like this, but they
pretend they’re infallible and try and scare you into paying
them.
You’re too late for their appeal system, but don’t worry. You’ll
get guidance here on what to do, ultimately leading to no
payment, and don’t worry about courts and similar.
#Post#: 104273--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: Dave65
Date: January 2, 2026, 4:03 am
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Copy of the original PPN would help, as Horizon`s older PPn`s
didn`t fulfil to claim against the keeper.
A subject access request to Horizon`s data officer asking for
all the info they have relating to this PPN.
Send with proof of a utility bill (suitably redacted) as proof
of address and tell them your new address.
#Post#: 104275--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: January 2, 2026, 4:25 am
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--- Quote from: jfollows link ---
>
> Don’t over-stress on “proof”.
>
> Ultimately, if it came to it, Horizon have to prove that you
parked for six hours, which they can’t, and your statement about
two separate trips would be proof enough.
>
> These companies know that their systems fail like this, but
they pretend they’re infallible and try and scare you into
paying them.
>
> You’re too late for their appeal system, but don’t worry.
You’ll get guidance here on what to do, ultimately leading to no
payment, and don’t worry about courts and similar.
>
--- End Quote ---
Thank you!
#Post#: 104276--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: January 2, 2026, 4:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Dave65 link ---
>
> Copy of the original PPN would help, as Horizon`s older PPn`s
didn`t fulfil to claim against the keeper.
>
> A subject access request to Horizon`s data officer asking for
all the info they have relating to this PPN.
>
> Send with proof of a utility bill (suitably redacted) as proof
of address and tell them your new address.
>
--- End Quote ---
Thank you, I am trying to get a copy of the original PPN, but
unsurprisingly, Horizon don't make it easy to find the relevant
information on where to obtain this. Any idea how/who I should
send an SAR to?
#Post#: 104373--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: b789
Date: January 2, 2026, 7:50 pm
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You will not get anything meaningful from Horizon now.
Gladstones have issued a Letter of Claim (LOC), so you respond
to Gladstones and you deny any liability.
Do not identify the driver. Respond only as the registered
keeper.
State that their client is put to strict proof of a single
continuous period of parking for the full duration alleged.
Explain that the “evidence” provided (first entry and last exit
only) is entirely consistent with a double-dip/missing ANPR
capture, i.e. two short visits with the first exit and second
entry not recorded, and that ANPR systems are well known to
produce that failure mode.
Point out that their client is required to comply with the
Private Parking Single Code of Practice (PPSCOP) requirements
for ANPR quality control. In particular, PPSCoP clause 7.3(d)
requires manual quality control checks, including the risk of
errors, and Note 1 expressly highlights the need to detect
“double dipping” where the system fails to record each instance
of entry/exit. Their client is therefore expected to search for
and match all ANPR images for the vehicle for the material date
and to locate and correctly attribute any orphan images
(unmatched entry/exit captures) before issuing or pursuing a
charge.
Require, as part of your LOC response, copies of the evidence
and documents relied upon, including:
[INDENT]• All ANPR images for that VRM for the entire day (not
just the first entry and last exit) and the full unredacted ANPR
event log entries for that VRM for the day.
• The site/ANPR “back-office” audit trail showing the manual
quality control check that was carried out before the PCN was
issued (as required by PPSCoP 7.3).
• The ANPR system maintenance, calibration and synchronisation
records covering the material date (and surrounding period), and
confirmation of the time source used for timestamps.
• The signage terms relied upon (photos/plan) and the full
contract/landowner authority relied upon.
• A copy of the original Notice to Keeper and all correspondence
allegedly sent, with the addresses used and dates of
posting.[/indent]
Make clear that if they proceed without addressing the
double-dip issue and without providing the above, that will be
unreasonable conduct in pre-action correspondence, and you will
draw it to the court’s attention.
#Post#: 104381--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: January 3, 2026, 4:57 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: b789 link ---
>
> You will not get anything meaningful from Horizon now.
Gladstones have issued a Letter of Claim (LOC), so you respond
to Gladstones and you deny any liability.
>
> Do not identify the driver. Respond only as the registered
keeper.
>
> State that their client is put to strict proof of a single
continuous period of parking for the full duration alleged.
Explain that the “evidence” provided (first entry and last exit
only) is entirely consistent with a double-dip/missing ANPR
capture, i.e. two short visits with the first exit and second
entry not recorded, and that ANPR systems are well known to
produce that failure mode.
>
> Point out that their client is required to comply with the
Private Parking Single Code of Practice (PPSCOP) requirements
for ANPR quality control. In particular, PPSCoP clause 7.3(d)
requires manual quality control checks, including the risk of
errors, and Note 1 expressly highlights the need to detect
“double dipping” where the system fails to record each instance
of entry/exit. Their client is therefore expected to search for
and match all ANPR images for the vehicle for the material date
and to locate and correctly attribute any orphan images
(unmatched entry/exit captures) before issuing or pursuing a
charge.
>
> Require, as part of your LOC response, copies of the evidence
and documents relied upon, including:
>
> [INDENT]• All ANPR images for that VRM for the entire day (not
just the first entry and last exit) and the full unredacted ANPR
event log entries for that VRM for the day.
> • The site/ANPR “back-office” audit trail showing the manual
quality control check that was carried out before the PCN was
issued (as required by PPSCoP 7.3).
> • The ANPR system maintenance, calibration and synchronisation
records covering the material date (and surrounding period), and
confirmation of the time source used for timestamps.
> • The signage terms relied upon (photos/plan) and the full
contract/landowner authority relied upon.
> • A copy of the original Notice to Keeper and all
correspondence allegedly sent, with the addresses used and dates
of posting.[/indent]
>
> Make clear that if they proceed without addressing the
double-dip issue and without providing the above, that will be
unreasonable conduct in pre-action correspondence, and you will
draw it to the court’s attention.
>
--- End Quote ---
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this advice, it
is fantastic and exactly what I was looking for!
I feel much more confident about being able to fight now.
Thank you again.
#Post#: 110784--------------------------------------------------
Re: Horizon Parking PCN – Overstay – Tesco Car Park, Wokingham
DIR By: firebrick23
Date: February 23, 2026, 9:15 am
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Update...
Hi all,
Just wanted to say thank you for the advice received. I have
managed to successfully challenge the PCN with Horizon and it
has been cancelled.
I thought I would share my experience with anyone going through
something similar.
Gladstones solicitors had zero interest in any of the legal
pre-action issues I pointed out to them. The only thing they
responded with was the evidence pack from Horizon. When I
challenged that again with them they were only interested in me
proving my claim of two visits instead of an overstay.
I managed to do this by getting bank details showing
transactions at the times two visits on 15/11. The two
transactions were made with ApplePay and as such showed I made
them didn't show on my statement until the 18/11.
My bank was incredibly helpful and managed to pull the raw data
from their system to show the actual times/dates of the
transactions rather than the dates they actually hit my account.
I made several calls to my bank helpline and they could see the
data but weren't able to release it. Eventually I had to go to 2
different branches and a very helpful member of staff printed
out all the 'behind the scenes' data for me. They wrote a
covering letter and date stamped all pages. Without them I
wouldn't have been able to prove I made the visits when I said I
did and I would be heading to court. If anyone is facing the
same thing I would advise to persevere as it is possible to get
the evidence you need!
In the end I only know my challenge was successful because I
went back onto the Horizon portal and the PCN showed as
cancelled. I then requested a search for outstanding PCN with
them at that came through negative. The Gladstones portal still
shows it as in pre-action however they have just confirmed
verbally that it is closed and no action is pending. If I hadn't
chased them they wouldn't have confirmed this.
So thank you again for the advice and for all the hard work
people put into helping others!
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