Over 60 parking operators join the Independent Parking Committee

IPC annual conference hears that 5,000 car parks have been audited

The Independent Parking Committee’s membership has increased to more than 60 operators. The latest membership numbers were revealed at the association’s annual conference, which was held in Knutsford, Cheshire, on 29 October. 

The IPC, which was launched in 2012, has 61 members, with another 16 going through its audit process.

The IPC’s directors, John Davies and Will Hurley, revealed that it has audited around 5,000 sites, of which 25% failed to meet its code of practice’s requirements. Around 30% of signs were deemed inadequate and needed upgrading, and around 500 document templates used by IPC members when dealing with the public have been audited.

Motorists who have been issued with parking charge notices by IPC members can appeal to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS). The organisation estimates that around 10% of people issued with a charge notice appeal to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS), a figure that is consistent across England, Wales and Scotland.

The number of appeals resolved in favour of motorists in England and Wales is 24%, while around 21% of Scottish drivers win their appeals.

Most appeals against parking charges are actually resolved without recourse to the IAS, said Davies and Hurley. Parking operators are taking mitigating circumstances into consideration prior to advising the appellant of the IAS appeals service, meaning only 10% of the representations lead to formal appeals, they said. The IAS is hearing around 1,000 appeals a month.

The IPC introduced an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) approach on 9 October to comply with new consumer rights legislation intended to encourage complaints to be resolved without recourse to the courts.

Davies and Hurley said: “Once somebody does engage the second tier of appeal, they can go to the IAS safe in the knowledge that they are certified by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and that their case will be given due consideration by a qualified solicitor or barrister.”

The IPC directors also touched on the BPA’s lobbying of government to introduce a ‘Single Standard Setting Body’ to oversee DVLA accredited trade associations and a single appeals service. The IPC directors said: “The BPA are citing consumer confusion and a lowering of standards as the justification. The IPC considers this to be unsubstantiated scaremongering and a derogation of their duty as an ATA.”

Read John Davies' opinion piece by clicking here

The IPC has suggested the two associations explore agreeing a single code of practice, believing there is a significant overlap.The IAS launched in Scotland in April. The IPC has offered to allow members of the British Parking Association’s rival Approved Operator Scheme to use the IAS as POPLA is unavailable there. 

“Our feedback from operators has been that the provision of the IAS in Scotland has been a very strong tool in securing tenders as it provides an important consumer protection,” said Davies and Hurley.

Some 58 former members of the British Parking Association’s rival Approved Operator Scheme (AOS) have moved to the IPC. 

Recent companies moving from the BPA scheme to the IPC include: Imperial Civil Enforcement Solutions (ICES), Millennium Door & Event Security, UK Car Park Management, UK Parking and UK Parking Patrol Office.

Malcolm Daughtrey, the IPC’s business development manager, said: “The IPC offer a more robust appeals service which is attractive to operators in providing efficiencies in the way the appeals are administers and the independent and impartial adjudication process. New members who have not be part of any Accredited Trade Association (ATA) have been attracted to the IPC and are currently going through the IPC rigorous audit process before being accredited with membership status.”

• Disabled Motoring UK, the conference’s nominated charity, received £2,185 following an auction and raffle held at the Mere Resort and Spa in Knutsford.