 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey, just want to share something before season starts.
Ive traveled to the Manchester Airport couple of days ago to dropoff my wife.
Normally you would pay at the end on the gates, but they have changed that and you can now drive away freely without paying at the place. There are signposts everywhere to pay online by the midlight next day. Because its been late at night and 2h drive, I arrive too late home and went straight to the bed. Next day typical busy day, and I only remembered about this when i was in the bed and that was 30 mins after midnight, I went online and I could not pay onilne because its obviously too late. Now waiting for letter of happiness to pay £120 (for 5 mins parking) or 60 if paid in next 2 weeks.
Just be aware. This is feels like scam to me tbh, but yes I admit its my fault in a way.
If I had choice I would never use business like this again.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Same at Stansted. Trick is to pay it in time. 
So easy to get hit though.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@ed48, to be fair to them it's on their website and if there are "There are signposts everywhere to pay online" I don't think you can call it a scam.
And to be boot, like most airports, they have a free drop off and get a shuttle option.
May be worth a grovelling challenge given it's a new system.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It's been in place for a few months now, so hardly new. You could try @Layne, suggestion.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We use Stansted and Luton a lot. The free drop off's at mid-stay work really well in my experience. Use them for pick ups aswell, you just need wait at services near by to get the nod your pick up is on the shuttle.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shortly after Heathrow introduced a drop-off charge I made the same mistake as you. I phoned up the day after I needed to pay and explained that I was a few hours late in trying to pay. They said that on this, first, occasion they'd allow a late payment. If you're only a few hours late might be worth seeing if there's a phone number you can call and plead for leniency?
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Same system for the Dartford Crossing, if you don’t pay in advance.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| Same system for the Dartford Crossing, if you don’t pay in advance. |
Been stung on this one twice after forgetting off the back of a long drive from Austria! Interestingly, never paid the 2nd penalty and eventually heard nothing more, but it is a bit more tricky for them as I'm not UK based, but they use a Swedish firm to try and claim it back.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Im not traveling too often, and this drop-off change caught me by surprise. Now I know, I registered my car in their system so the payment will be automatic next time and hopefully will be all good. This is good idea in general, but the way how they treat their customers, especially who hit this first time is concerning, especially for super late flights when people are knackered by travel etc, should be allowing more time and flexibility to pay using new system, or maybe not to issue hefty fine for first time offenders, Im sure there is a better way, but currently it feels like they just want your money because they can and we as a customers have no other choice, and will be forced to use their services anyways.
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I think the system introduced at M'cr is better than having to pay at the barrier (which often didn't work properly) or at a machine before leaving. I also think that midnight the day after is a perfectly reasonable cutoff. I was caught out by the new Mersey Crossing bridge the first couple of times I used it and I'm not a frequent user, and have managed to avoid the fine by calling them. Now, I just don't forget to pay either before or after.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@halfhand, Now that is something I don't agree with. I much prefer the pay at the time system. It seems so much more natural.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6500170/group-thread-for-heathrow-and-gatwick-drop-off-pcns/p1
Read through this thread. Appeal as the registered keeper. Do not name the driver. They will offer you the chance to pay, out of the goodness of your heart, £5 for them to stop or you can ignore them completely after the initial appeal and get a few empty threats through the post. It happened to me about 6 weeks ago and I did write a good enough appeal to get offered settlement for £5 but hadn’t read this and realised they have no legal basis for issuing their empty threats. You have to send in the appeal telling them you are the keeper but are not under any obligation to name the driver. They will soon move on to their next easy mark.
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The places that charge are now endless. The thing that kills is having to register for each separate scheme. Why oh why can't it be a central register that charges you automatically. Congestion charge today; Dartford tomorrow; Heathrow the day after.
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You know it makes sense.
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@halfhand, the system is designed to get as many people to pay a vastly inflated fee as possible. There is supposed to be an exemption for cars dropping off disabled people, you have to show them the badge as proof. Guess what, there’s never anybody there to show it to. No number to call someone and lots of signs saying you’ve only got 5 minutes before getting an extortionate charge for an excessive stop. There’s no place to stop to pay on site, or nearby, most people will drive straight onto the M56 afterwards. They are hoping that as many people will have forgotten about it as possible by the time they next stop.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just to add:
On the road to/from Luton mid-stay, it is a non stop zone (double red lines). Now mid-stay isn't actually that far from the terminal at Luton (no more than 10 minutes walk). So one time I was dropping the wife and she had her cabin bag in the footwell of the car. There were no cars about (it was late or early) and there is a set of lights that changed to red. So I pulled over, the wife jumped out and I did a U-turn at the lights (when they went green) rather than go into mid-stay drop off. Saved only a couple of minutes or so but why not right.
Anyhow I got a bloody notice for it - and they wanted £60! I did the google thing and got the legalise appeal wording. And submitted. Didn't hear anything after.
Now, I wouldn't do that again because of the hassle, chance of them being more demanding. Plus it only saved me a couple of minutes. But worth noting that it's not just paying the drop off you have to worry about.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@James the Last, agree with that. Same with parking to some extent.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Layne, to be fair, parking is now significantly all centralised. RingGo and JustPark seem to cover almost everywhere - mostly both of them. It's bliss.
Why these two can't run everything else I don't know! I recognise that competition is a good thing, but at the same time I don't enoy registering online for new services.
And yes, don't let people out of the car on red routes in London. You will be fined.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@ed48, easily done after a long day travelling. I've done similar at Dartford.
Worth noting there is free drop off at Manchester at JetPark1 car park with frequent shuttle busses if time isn't critical. 5min from there to any of the terminals. No free pick-up though 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@James the Last, they might cover everywhere around you but I hadn’t even heard of JustPark before this and last used RingGo in February. All been PayByPhone since then.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@what...snow, I've never heard of Just Park either. Mi permit and payby phone with a bit of Ringo from time to time
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry, PayByPhone indeed. JustPark is a useful app for finding cheap parking, very useful in London.
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@James the Last, ah...I just park where I want to be. I don't need to drive in London
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If it's any consolation @ed48, a couple of months back I did the same and they just issued me with a letter saying out of goodwill given the recent charges pay the 6 quid or whatever it was, no penalty charge
Dunno if they're still doing that.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Gatwick. I forgot to pay November 2022 after dropping off family, I realised the day after the deadline.
I went in and paid anyway, the portal was weird in not acknowledging payment. But it worked, the tiny sum left my bank account with no follow up letter/penalty.
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In contrast to the UK, does GVA still have a free "Kiss & Fly" lane outside Departures?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Nemisis wrote: |
| In contrast to the UK, does GVA still have a free "Kiss & Fly" lane outside Departures? |
It did last April
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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FWIW, I've had to use JustPark in various car parks, so it is one that crops up alongside PayByPhone and RingGo. Between the 3 of them it seems to cover pretty much all parking meters. The one that irks me is when you have to enter your reg somewhere. Went to a Costa the other day and no one at the till mentioned it, was only because my girlfriend spotted the machine that I realised it needed to be done. The car park seems to exist exclusively for the Costa, so does seem like a scam.
I also know what the OP means with the no barrier system, those of us with flighty memories or attention span are being targetted
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There is a pub not far from is that ordinarily wouldn't have a parking issue - they have a decent size car park in a residential area. Except for it's next to a school. So they have tablet enter your reg things. This is all just to stop parents parking there at school end time. A minority that cause issues for everyone else.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just an update.
1. I called the APCOA, however they said not much they can do as its already too late and the charge is already in processing
2. I received charge letter from APCOA, to pay £100 or to pay £60 if done in 2 weeks
3. I logged an appeal as a keeper. They should respond in 28 days
I will keep this thread updated of the outcome.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FYI
Received the letter from APCOA, stating that taking into account all points in the appeal, they decided to cancel this parking charge.
Phew!
Thanks to everyone for advices!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Without reading, you can register for drop offs and put a credit card on your account. I've registered mime, MrsHDs and my dads all one one account. I suspect you can register more than that for family etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thats great advice. I did register as well.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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At LGW north terminal you can drop off for free if your passenger gets out fast enough. Just turn into the first carpark, they jump out and there is a cut through to the exit. As long as you reach the exit barrier in the short amount of time they allow to drive between the entry barrier and the exit barrier you do not get charged on exit.
At LGW south you should be able to do the same by stopping and dropping off at the small outside parking space just before the barriers but I've not tried that one.
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FAQ
