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Just heard on the news that someone is going to make a legal challenge on the practice of meters not giving change. I did not hear all the facts, maybe someone can elaborate. Could be an interesting outcome.
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Worth a try but I think if a machine has a sign saying "No change given, exact money only" your choice is take it or leave it! Typical rip-off but what is new?
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Interesting. I was moaning about this the other day to my dad, since they're designed to specifically make extra money. For example, you rarely see a charge of 50p, it tends to be 70p so it catches out people who only have pound coins. Likewise, the next tier is usually £1.10, gaining from the people who don't have a 10p piece.
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In the discussion, which was on my local Radio Newcastle broadcast, it was said that instead of giving change the meters could easily be designed to give the exact amount of time equal to how much you place in the meter. That would make sense, but reduce income!.
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Yes, this is a con.
Why can't they just give time in proportion to the amount paid?
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This would be brilliant for the driver but not the charger - how often have you paid for 1 or 2 hours when only stopping for 25 mins? Would also stop people being caught out when off seeking change for five minutes,
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Another con, also mentioned,is that in some meters you have to input your registration no to prevent you from giving any unexpired time to other motorists. that, in some way I can accept, but what is wrong is that if you forget to input your reg. no. and the warden spots it you get £40 fine..................So why does the machine issue a ticket without your reg. no.? yes I know the answer!.
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I understand - and am prepared to be told differently - that there is NO requirement in law, for any trader to give change.
Astescurys supermarket can charge £3 for an item, if you give them a fiver, they do not have to give you change. They do, because they wish to keep your custom, but they don't have to.
If you don't like it, take your custom elsewhere.
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Drbe, I would have thought that the situation you describe would constitute theft under the terms of the 197? Theft Act! I too am prepared to be told differently. Where are DVD and Pugugly when we need them?
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Im with Drbe on this one. I work at the head office of a large retail PLC and Just asked the question to an ex trading standards officer who now works for us and was told...
The legal stance on this, is that if you want to buy something, you are then in debt to the trader up to the price of the item(s) that you are purchasing. If you pay the trader/shop more than that "debt" then that is down to you, and they do not have to give you the difference. So for example if you bought something for £1 and gave a £20 note they do not have to give you £19 change, they can legally keep it all! This will not happen of course as they would have no customers and clerks with bleeding noses.....
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For example you rarely see a charge of 50p it tends to be 70p so it catches out people who only have pound coins. Likewise the next tier is usually £1.10 gaining from the people who don't have a 10p piece.
Why not keep some loose change in the car?
I got stuck several times, late for meetings, parking in a pay-and-display, and only having a £5 or £10 note in my pocket. So now I keep about £4 in change in the car, for parking purposes and only use it if I don't have enough in my pocket.
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Typical rip-off but what is new?
Meters that give change cost more and require more "servicing" by attendants, which would lead to higher parking charges. Then you'd complain even more.
--
L\'escargot.
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All pretty academic - I reckon meters will be gone within five years.
Westminster Council is removing them already:
www.lmag.org.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=print&s...5
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No I wouldn't! If it just takes in money it needs emptying more often than one which takes it in, sorts it and gives change. Once it is created a car park doesn't 'cost' anything. My local ones don't have security lighting, CCTV, toilets, security patrols or anything that costs money. In Knighton, on the Anglo/Welsh border, there is a car park in the middle of town which greets you with a sign saying "Welcome to Knighton - Free Parking All Day." Car parks which charge money and don't provide security or facilities are a source of cash to the council and nothing else.
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"Once it is created a car park doesn't 'cost' anything."
Not true I'm afraid.
Business rates are levied on car parks - free or otherwise. They are also levied on free disabled parking spaces.
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Well yes but the business rates are due - they are charged by the council and paid to the council so the nexttcost is Nil. Monetyis moved from one account to another within the Town Hall, apart from the odd backhander and sweetener I suppose!
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They are charged by central Goverment - the Council is only a collector and keep none of what is collected. The Treasury decides how much they can have back.
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So years ago when most parking was free, how did we manage without all the extra revenue?
It seems to me that we just pay more and more for more things every year, with diminishing returns.
To me this is exactly like the police 105 quid charge thread... you can explain it and explain it all you like, the simple fact is that it didn't used to happen and it's symptomatic of this country, which as you will see from my current thread I am planning to leave ASAP.
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DJP - I defer to your superior knowledge of local government funding! It is still too expensive for the service provided and I bet it isn't run as a cost-neutral service, except in Knighton (see above).
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