A man from Gerrards Cross has launched a petition to “fight the parking cowboys” following his victory over a parking fine.
Stanley Luckhurst, 85, parked his car in a bay reserved for electrical vehicles in a car park in Uxbridge in December 2021. He received a £100 parking ticket, but argued that the poor lighting in the car park meant he was unable to see the relevant signage.
A few days later, Stanley received a Parking Charge Notice for £100 from Excel.
Stanley challenged the fine and engaged with the Independent Appeals Service (IAS), but says it was clear the process was “designed to grind down all but the most determined appellants”.
Following the IAS’ rejection of Stanley’s appeal, Excel brought a claim against Stanley in Uxbridge County Court, which was then transferred to the Royal Courts of Justice in Westminster. The parking company’s claim was for a total of £255.
However, Excel’s claim was rejected, and the judge handed the firm a £306 bill to cover Stanley’s expenses.
Following his victory, Stanley began to research the issue. He discovered that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had created legislation known as the Parking Code of Practice in a bid to impose greater regulations on the parking industry. Announced in 2019, it was shelved in 2022.
Stanley has now launched a petition to urge the government to launch this legislation.
He said: “The escalation in the number of fines is shocking. In 2018, eight million tickets were handed out. This has now increased to 13 million tickets and a profit of £1.3billion. It’s become a frenzy.
“We can’t let these parking cowboys carry on milking the system.”
Stanley has clocked up hundreds of hours on his campaign thus far, which already has the backing of TV and radio presenter Valerie Singleton OBE, president of the AA Edmund King OBE, and, most importantly, his 18-year-old granddaughter Evie.
Stanley added: “The average Joe who has to get up early in the morning, go to work and put food on the table just doesn’t have the time to take something like this on. Being retired, I do and I want to see change.”
Stanley’s petition currently has nearly 500 signatures. Find out more at www.bit.ly/42BpybF
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