-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Call for civil disobedience - Northampton Supercharger
- Thread starter SeanG
- Start date
As per my comment on another thread about exactly the same topic:
The hotel car park requires all cars to register, not just ones at the Superchargers. The hotel is on a business park and they used to get other businesses staff parking there. Anyone can register their car but you only get 30 minutes. If you are staying at the hotel they extend it for the length of your stay.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Perhaps because us Brits are used to this Rip-off-Britain, have all been caught out on THIS or THAT, and are now older, wiser, and alert?
Its an indictment on how our society has progressed ...
- Charge existing customers higher prices, than new customers, for their loyalty
- Offer cheaper-prices £X than next-door, but figure out a way to Fine Y% of your customers to replace the profit you lost on £X
- ... and so on ...
Bravo, I think you have hit the nail on the head.
I have taken another look at the £100 fine notice I received, it states on the back that this is a HOTEL PATRON ONLY CAR PARK - I agree with you, it should be re-assigned as a destination charger and no longer be coloured in red on the Tesla supercharger map.
Thank you.
I agree - I humbly withdraw my pitch fork torch carrying protest call ... but replace it with the suggestion made by mrElbe - this charging station should be in grey on the map not in red - it is a destination charger - it is not a public access supercharger any more, now that ParkingEye have been put in charge and are treating it as a hotel patron only car park .... their words not mine.
OK - no more call for civil disobedience ... clearly many of the locals actually don't mind registering at reception to avoid the £100 fine and the vote is split 50/50 .. how about treating this as a destination charger? It's a win win - the locals get fewer dumb tourists (like me) using the chargers, and the dumb tourists (like me) are less likely to be caught out by the £100 fines. Please follow this link and vote (if you can be bothered), I will send the results to Tesla customer services.
UK Northampton Supercharger - reassign as Destination Charger?
UK Northampton Supercharger - reassign as Destination Charger?
.jg.
Member
BTW, it is not a fine, it is a Parking Charge Notice, effectively, an invoice for services rendered. The contract on the signs will be along the lines that you agree to pay the parking charge if you park without permission or outside the terms indicated. If you refuse to pay, the parking company may choose to sue you in county court (this would be a civil matter, not a criminal prosecution). Under the circumstances, the parking company may choose not to take the case to court.
If your PCN is not too old, you could try appealing to the hotel management directly. As the client of the parking company, their contract probably allows them discretion, within some time limit.
The only methods now available to UK landowners to control parking on their land is physical barriers or one of these parking charge schemes - any other method (clamping, vehicle removal) is illegal in the UK. For a hotel or other business with a car park in a popular area, it is a constant battle to keep enough spaces for their staff and their paying customers.
Where did the 30 mins come from? I've parked on those chargers for longer than 30 mins and not received any parking charges. Does it actually say 30 mins max stay on the signage? I'll be sure to look next time I'm there.
Signs are pretty clear and the reception is so close. Plus easily cancelled when challenged. Not an issue.
View attachment 346836
If you look at the Tesla sign you will see the 30 min part (thanks to @Brunel)
I think the logic behind the 30 mins is for “general parking”. It is a small car park so non-charging ICEs etc can park there but for no longer than 30 mins. I believe similar arrangements are in place at a few SuC around the world.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
I think that's unrelated to the ParkingEye time limit. @Peteski has been charging there longer, I suspect I have too (I had a meal there on one coming-home-late charging session). Must be a time limit for the ParkingEye thing, but its either "overnight" for the Hotel users, or they do something specific for residents and casual visitors something else ... its not exactly 5-star dinning there, but surely casual visitors could be there for hours visiting someone staying there and chewing the cud over a meal and then petit fours (or the Campanile equivalent ...
)Yeah, next time I'm there I'll see what it says for the rest of the carpark. Might even have a chat with reception and see what they know. I've certainly been on the Supercharger for well over 30 mins there on a number of occasions.
.jg.
Member
Normally, these arrangements with parking charge companies see one set of rules apply to the general public e.g. you can't park here or you can park for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc and another rule for staff and others who are typically given explicit authorisation to park without constraint. There should be signs with all the contract terms clearly displayed in the car park - if not, the contract (and any PCNs issued) might be invalid.
The empirical evidence suggests that the 30 min limit doesn't apply to Teslas using the Superchargers. Either that or they are simply not enforcing the 30 min max stay when you register.
So a few photos of the site....
It’s fairly obvious you need to register to be honest. Although the signs at the charger says 30 mins the main sign says duration of stay (min £10 spend).
It is abundantly obvious that you need to register. The superchargers are right next to the entrance and the registration process is super easy. Gigantic fuss over nothing.
Similar threads
- Article
