Parking on an APCOA Railway car park - can you help?

I paid £9 at Oxford station ticket office for a car parking ticket and the receipt was timed at 9.25am.

I travelled to London by train and on return found that I had a Civil Parking Notice from APCOA timed at 10.55am saying I had not paid for my parking.

I sent APCOA copies of the receipt and Notice, indicating the disparity in times.

They replied by letter saying that I had not paid for my parking place and should send them £50.

Is there any further action you would recommend on my part?

I 'phoned British Parking Association and they want me to send them details and have suggested I pay the penalty and then sue APCOA in the small claims court. This seems like a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

What would you recommend? I have read your website on the subject but do not think I have found an exactly parallel case.

Asked on 14 June 2012 by Peter1935

Answered by Honest John
Challenge them to take you to court where you will vigorously defend yourself and will countersue for your time wasted at £XX an hour. In the last year only 49 parking contract cases out of 1,600,000 tickets issued actually went to court.
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