Parking tickets issued on and around the University campus that legally do not have to be paid have accumulated a staggering £37,980 in the last academic year.
Figures obtained by York University Media revealed that 2,713 people parking in restricted areas on campus were charged last year.
The Civil Parking Scheme, which is in place among many non-council owned properties including the university campus, charges £50 for each illegally parked car, according to the University website.
However, many students may be disheartened to hear that they are under no obligation to pay, as the property is not under council ownership.
Many students who are not aware of their rights have fallen into the Civil Parking Scheme trap, whereby a ticket is issued to the driver, not necessarily the car’s owner. The company operates by obtaining the driver’s personal details through information sold to them by the DVLA.
If the fee is not paid within 28 days, the driver will receive a letter saying that they may owe the company more than they were originally fined, which, if ignored, could eventually lead to a notice of legal proceedings, according to Martin Lewis of moneysavingexpert.com.
However, parking notices around the University advise that “in using the University car parks you are agreeing to be bound by the University of York Parking Rules and Regulations,” which, according to Pete Jones of ticketfighter.co.uk, is “a contract which is formed and therefore can be broken or breached.”
Therefore, there is no legal obligation to pay, as the driver has not agreed to the conditions. Moreover, there is no existing legal precedent for a private parking ticket company successfully suing the recipient of a ticket.
Final-year Spanish and Linguistics student Craig Taylor fell victim to the scheme last year, when he parked in the car park at The Charles XII pub in Heslington, unaware of the new pay-and-display scheme which had been recently implemented. “I was parked for 20 minutes. When I came back I had a notice on my windscreen saying I owed them £60.”
The fine was eventually revoked on the grounds that there was insufficient signage to warn drivers of the new pay-and-display scheme.
The scheme has not only affected students, but also their parents. Disgruntled motorist Stephen Taylor said, “I was parked for five minutes in a nearby disabled spot to help my son move out of halls. In that time a pizza delivery and Tesco van turned up. If they gave me a fine, why didn’t they give them a fine too?”
The University Press Office commented: “The parking fines go towards enforcing campus parking regulations and supporting the university’s alternative travel plan, such as the Magic Bus.”
More information about the scheme and obtaining parking permits can be found on the University website.