FAQs from Motorists

Please contact sales@firstparking.co.uk

If a parking charge is ignored and no payment is made, further action may be taken. This could include referral to a Credit Reference Agency, instruction of solicitors to secure immediate payment, referral to debt recovery, or issuance of court proceedings, all of which will incur additional costs.

If you wish to appeal a parking charge, we recommend lodging an appeal as soon as you receive it.

Locations and times may vary by local authority, but the Department for Transport’s Blue Badge scheme allows disabled drivers to park in specific restricted areas on public highways for up to three hours. This concession applies solely to public roads and is not applicable to private land.

On private property, some landlords offer preferential parking for Blue Badge holders. However, this is generally subject to the same terms and conditions as the rest of the car park, including any applicable tariffs and maximum stay periods.

To avoid confusion, always check the terms and conditions displayed on the signage at the site.

Parking charges are issued based on a contract with the motorist, which is clearly outlined through the signage at the site. This signage specifies the terms and conditions for authorised parking, whether it involves paying the appropriate parking tariff, adhering to a limited stay period, or similar requirements. A parking charge will be incurred if these conditions are not met.

We ensure that signage is ample, clear, and visible, complying with the British Parking Association Code of Practice. This guarantees that motorists are aware of and bound by the terms and conditions upon entering and staying at the site. All users of the site must adhere to these rules.

Each appeal is individually evaluated by a trained appeals assessor, who not only reviews the site rules but also applies a common-sense approach.

Yes, First Parking is authorised by our clients to install signage that outlines the terms and conditions of parking. We are also empowered to issue parking charges for any breaches of these terms and conditions and to recover and retain these charges.

First Parking manages car parks on behalf of landowners to ensure motorists adhere to the terms and conditions of parking. The businesses who own the car parks often use maximum stay periods to guarantee a regular turnover of spaces, ensuring availability for motorists.

Similarly, paid parking sites require management to ensure motorists make payment for using the facility. First Parking ensures compliance with car park terms and conditions, promoting the correct use of parking spaces.

Car parks managed by First Parking have clearly outlined terms and conditions, as detailed on the signage within each car park. When these terms and conditions are breached (e.g., overstaying a free period or failing to pay for parking), a parking charge will be issued.

If you do not receive a ticket from one of our machines, it may indicate that your transaction was not completed correctly, and as a result, your payment might not have been successful. We strongly advise you to read the terms and conditions of parking carefully, as these can vary from one car park to another.

However, many of our car parks are monitored using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Displaying a ticket within your vehicle is not required unless the signage specifies otherwise. As our systems link your transaction from the payment machine to your vehicle registration, it is essential to enter your full and correct vehicle registration into the payment machine when purchasing a ticket.

If contract parking or a season pass is available at a car park managed by First Parking, all relevant information, including instructions on the necessary steps to take, will be provided on the signage within the car park.

In accordance with Paragraph 9(2)(b) of Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012:

The operator must inform the registered keeper that the driver of the vehicle is required to pay the Parking Charge in full. In addition, as the operator does not know who was driving the vehicle on the date of the parking event, the Act states that the registered keeper, if they were not the driver at the time, should inform the operator of the name and current postal address of the driver and pass the notice to them. The Act then goes on to state that if the parking charge has not been paid in full after 29 days, and the operator has not been provided with both the name and current address of the driver, then they have the right to recover any unpaid part of the parking charge from the registered keeper.

This warning is issued under Paragraph 9(2)(f) of Schedule 4, contingent upon the operator’s compliance with the applicable conditions set forth in Schedule 4 of that Act.

Please note: The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 applies only to parking charges issued in England and Wales.

If POPLA subsequently refuses your appeal, you must pay the full outstanding parking charge amount within 14 days to avoid further action.

Please note that payment should not be sent to POPLA.

Parking charges issued in England and Wales are governed by the Protection of Freedoms Act (POFA) 2012 and the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) Service. This Act introduced the concept of ‘keeper liability’ for vehicles parked on private land, necessitating an independent appeals service, which is funded by the parking industry.

This independent service is known as Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA). POPLA assessors handle appeals from those who have been issued parking charges when parked on private land in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. To lodge an appeal with POPLA, motorists must first appeal to the operator who issued the parking charge and receive a POPLA verification code if the appeal is rejected. POPLA and its assessors are independent of all parties involved in the appeals process, including the operator and the British Parking Association.

If the machine is out of order, please contact someone associated with the site directly, so they can promptly inform us of any issues.

First Parking strives to handle appeals as quickly as possible. During periods of high volume, this can take up to 28 days. Once First Parking receives an appeal, the charge will be placed on hold, and the charge amount will remain at the level it was when the appeal was received until a resolution is issued.

To appeal a Parking Charge, please complete our online appeals forms.

The offer to reduce the amount of the Parking Charge for the first 14 days is not indicative of the fact that it should be considered a penalty and First Parking properly offers a discount for 14 days, as per the British Parking Association (BPA) code of practice.

First Parking is authorised to obtain the registered keeper’s details from the DVLA when a vehicle is found to be in breach of the parking terms and conditions in operation at the site because First Parking is a member of the British Parking Association and its Approved Operator Scheme.