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#Post#: 105808--------------------------------------------------
Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: bluedanW
Date: January 14, 2026, 4:19 am
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Hi I am new to the forum and was wondering if anyone could
please give me some advice on challenging a parking fine from
Napier Parking
The town where I live has many council run car parks that are
free on Sundays. Sadly Napier are 24/7 chargeable.
I parked in their car park, I have Arthritis in my toes and knee
so I am not the quickest, I hobbled to the ticket machine, then
noticed their long list of terms and conditions that they don't
really want anyone to read. I decided to give it a miss and park
elsewhere.
Then just days before Christmas I received a £100 fine, £60 if
paid within 14 days. I was there 9 minutes total. Even if I had
stayed for an hour the charge would have been 70 pence.
I did appeal the charge, explaining the situation. I even
offered to pay £30 fee as a gesture of goodwill, as that is the
charge than local council car parks charge for non payment.
Which due to the circumstances I thought was reasonable.
The appeal was rejected, they didn't even acknowledge any of the
mitigating circumstances.
I have been to the car park to take photos of signage etc. In
all their lengthy terms and conditions there is no mention of
grace period from entry of the car park, I have looked online
and the general grace period mentioned seems to be 10 minutes.
When a private car park has such lengthy terms and conditions
surely they should allow people the time to read them and decide
if they wish to park, as they hide behind the fact when you
leave your car you have entered a contract with them.
I was going to write to the land owner to ask them to rescind he
fine, however it seems to be the land owner is 'Lincoln and
Boston Ltd' which according to companies house is owned by the
same James De Savary of Napier Parking, so this seems to be a
waste of time.
Could someone please advise what my next step should be, I have
been given the 14 day notice to make payment and this payment
will increase to £100 if not paid.
Regards
Dan
#Post#: 105809--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: jfollows
Date: January 14, 2026, 4:24 am
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The “grace period” is at the end of a paid parking period, it’s
the “consideration period” that applies to considering and
rejecting the terms and conditions. Depending on the size and
type of the car park it can be 5 minutes.
See
HTML https://www.britishparking.co.uk/write/Documents/AOS/Sector%20Code%20Templates/sectorsingleCodeofPracticeVersion1.1130225.pdf
#Post#: 105814--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: January 14, 2026, 4:43 am
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Worth noting it is a minimum of 5 minutes. In this case where
the driver is disabled by virtue of arthritis there would seem
to be a case to argue that the driver might reasonably need
longer than 5 minutes to stop the car, read and consider the
terms, and then leave.
OP - please can you show us your photos of the signage, the
notice you have received, and exactly what you said in your
appeal? Guide: Posting Images
HTML https://www.ftla.uk/announcements/posting-images/msg105395/#new
I note your comments re. the landowner, but nothing lost by
trying to contact them. When you do so, I would point out that
the driver ought to be entitled to reasonable adjustments as a
disabled person under the Equality Act 2010, requiring longer
than the minimum 5 minutes to properly consider the terms. A
rigid cut-off of 5 minutes places disabled motorists at a clear
disadvantage compared to non-disabled motorists, and if argued
well, I would hope a judge would take a dim view of a parking
company who failed to make such a reasonable adjustment once the
requirement to do so was pointed out to them.
#Post#: 105824--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: bluedanW
Date: January 14, 2026, 5:04 am
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Thank you both for your help.
The consideration time surely should allow time to park your car
safely (as their terms and conditions). Then to walk to and from
the machine, also read their terms and conditions which are
quite substantial. I have attached the sign at the pay and
display, plus the rejection letter.
They have actually attached an image of the sign with the terms
and conditions on their rejection letter. This image clearly
shows a sign that will take time to read. as well as parking and
getting to and from your vehicle.
link below.
HTML https://www.imagebam.com/view/ME19R72Z<br
/>
HTML https://www.imagebam.com/view/ME19R730
HTML https://www.imagebam.com/view/ME19R7CB
#Post#: 105931--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: ixxy
Date: January 14, 2026, 3:13 pm
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Just so you understand, the parking code of practice sets the
consideration period and whether we think it is reasonable or
not there aren't really many grounds to challenge other than
carpark size and possibly disability discrimination. The latter
though is far from a slam dunk defence. Your condition may or
not be considered a relevant disability. Do you have a blue
badge?
Napier Parking is an IPC affiliated car parking company so the
rejection of your rather uninformed appeal is not particularly
surprising and I would expect any second stage appeal to the
(not so) independant appeals service will be similarly rejected.
You can probably avoid paying this if you are prepared to wait
it out. Next stage will be letters from a debt collection agency
which can be ignored followed by the start of court proceedings
which you can't ignore. If you defend the claim they will most
likely discontinue before the actual court hearing.
#Post#: 106015--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: bluedanW
Date: January 15, 2026, 8:18 am
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I have sent a further appeal listing many points in the IPC code
of practice concerning the consideration period, suitable time
scales to read terms and conditions and how they should make
adaptions to allow for people with disabilities in line with the
Equality Act and the ECHR statutory code. Which is stated in the
code of practice section 4.
I have also pointed out there actual photographic evidence of
entry and exit have not been time stamped, which breaches the
IPC code of practice section 7.3.
I have said if my appeal is rejected then I ask them to proceed
straight to court proceedings as I do not deal with debt
collectors and will not be intimidated by them, as they cannot
just turn up at you door. as the legislation below.
"There is only an implied license under English Common Law for
people to be able to visit me on my property without express
permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc
(Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord
Evershed M.R.)."
My question now is, is there any point going to IAS to dispute
their rejection letter? my worry is if I go down that route and
they do not rule in my favour, does that make give the parking
company the upper hand in court and result in a more likely poor
outcome?
Dan
#Post#: 106017--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: jfollows
Date: January 15, 2026, 8:22 am
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No, the IAS costs the parking company £23 and its ruling has no
bearing on you.
In the unlikely event it actually got to court, the outcome
would be based on the facts as presented and the IAS has little
impact.
#Post#: 106025--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: January 15, 2026, 8:47 am
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The IAS is, as noted, rather useless, but I generally recommend
appealing to them anyway for 3 key reasons:
- You might win. Although the success rate at the IAS is
appallingly low, it's more than 0%
- You show to the parking company you're not a pushover, and
that you understand your position. They'll probably press on
regardless, but you might get lucky and get put in the "too much
effort" pile
- You show yourself to be reasonable. Particularly in a case
where you are making the point that as a disabled person you are
entitled to reasonable adjustments, if you can show that at
every stage of the process you have brought your disability (and
need for reasonable adjustments) to their attention, they can't
subsequently argue they were unaware.
#Post#: 109980--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: bluedanW
Date: February 16, 2026, 2:57 pm
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I appealed using the IAS appeal service. Unbelievably Napier
parking decided to concede due to mitigation. Thw parking fine
has been cancelled. Thank you all for your help.
#Post#: 109995--------------------------------------------------
Re: Napier Parking - fine less than 10 mins,
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: February 16, 2026, 5:03 pm
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--- Quote from: DWMB2 link ---
>
>
>
- You might win. Although the success rate at the IAS is
appallingly low, it's more than 0%
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Well, indeed. ;D
Nicely done!
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