Comments for A Brighton Boy Blogs

Comment on Inspirational leadership for dark times by geoffrey stansfield

geoffrey stansfield — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:42:05 +0000

Yes : Thank you so much for that – another wonderful poem which I think Churchill quoted was “Say not the struggle naught availeth” by Arthur Hugh Clough .
These politicians act collectively like a pendulum which only swings one way — they must have another secret agenda – how can they , as they so often do , appear to act against the public interest ? Eg Global warming agenda scam . Have they never read a book ? I went to a Fabian Society in Edinburgh some years ago . At an open question time , I asked a question along the lines : Could a politician achieve a position of power without consistently having to [ selectively ] lie ? Once there , does telling the truth matter ? There was a stony silence – the one reply from an lady MP more or less tried to ridicule me , before avoiding giving an answer ! very illuminating ! Does anyone know of , or have experienced the Common Purpose Organisation , and how riddled our public Offices are with CP “acolytes” — Take Francis Maud for instance — many many senior police – auditors — Far worse then ever the Freemasons were [ sorry , are ] Any comments ?

Comment on Brighton & Hove Parking – criminal racket in disguise by Jeremy Lewis-Phillips

Jeremy Lewis-Phillips — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:24:55 +0000

Hi there,

Reading many of the articles above and in particular the article titled – criminal racquet in disguise. I would first of all like to congratulate the gentleman for sharing his experience on loading outside a hotel in Hove.

Parking charges have become a far too common and an increasingly a frustrating issue for residents, local businesses and indeed tourists. Through my time in Brighton I have also watched the detrimental impact of parking charge increases, extensions of zoned pay and display and permit areas, trigger happy parking wardens and more….it simply has to stop!

I urge all readers to share your stories and speak up against the rising parking charges, inconsiderate and frankly disgusting behaviour of local traffic wardens and the revenue raising, profit making parking authorities ruining this much loved city.

As a local business and a passionate resident of Brighton and Hove I have therefore begun a parking and transport facebook page which I hope you will find of interest. Please join and share your experiences on issues regarding parking and transport in Brighton and Hove.

I do hope through this and other avenues we can change the way the way parking and transport issues are handled and indeed make this a more enjoyable and welcoming city.

Jeremy
Brighton resident of Kemptown

Comment on About Jon Silver by anna

anna — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:29:12 +0000

Jon,

I read your piece about Brighton and Hove parking. Am having a bit of a contra with them myself and just on principal am buggered if Im going to let them get away with this.
So – if you have a moment perhaps you can tell me the outcome of yours, and if by any chance you took legal action.

Many thanks, Anna

Comment on Kafevend puts it right by Alan

Alan — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:09:02 +0000

I can’t believe it, I thought I was the only person who has suffered at the hands of Kafevend…
I was visited in 2011 by a salesman who promised “cooling off periods” “sales of the century” etc. and even told “the machine will pay for itself” when told I have no authority to sign without committee consent he said “its fine its all be cleared by finance, if the committee don’t agree you can send it straight back” now I understand I should not have signed, we’re always wiser after the event, however, this salesman did not leave off the pressure, and he was not a small man either and “no” was not the answer he had intentions of leaving with.
I have tried everything to have this contract cancelled and now I am being told “there are no cooling off periods” and better still “if there was it’s expired now.”
I found out that the contract I was presented with has been tampered with by Kafevend, although it seems harmless they have given me a position of authority and printed my name to confirm. Needless to say this is now heading down the route of court action for fraud…
Amazing that 2+ years on and promises it wont happen etc. its still going on and all in the name of sales…beautiful company ethics…NOT!

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Jon

Jon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:06:38 +0000

@ David Not at all, thank you very much for the link.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Jon

Jon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:54:27 +0000

Unfortunately the authorities seem to do nothing about this. Perhaps Trading Standards can help.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Jon

Jon — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:52:23 +0000

I’m very glad this has helped, Wendy. I hope it all goes away and that your dad can relax and just forget the whole thing, free of bullies.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:48:27 +0000

I am so relieved to read this. I have been appealing against my dads parking ticket since November, for totally just reasons, only for him now, at 72, to be getting both letters from Roxburge and Graham White, which has been quite distressing for him. Thankfully on a quick google of the solicitors to try to call them, I came across this first. Disgusting and just shouldn’t be allowed to happen. Thanks again….I’m relieved to put his mind at rest.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Barry

Barry — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:21:48 +0000

Funnily enough as Graham White are or have ceased trading they do not have an email address neither do Roxburghe I was told by the SRA that they never have had one either. I suspect Roxburghe who are one in the same company want you to use their own expensive number so they can make some money out of you while they hold you on the line. I suggest you write to the Solicitors Registration Authority via email and they will be able to deal with yoiur request.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Louise

Louise — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:48:38 +0000

Do you guys have an email address for both Roxburghe and Graham White please?

Thanks.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Barry Faust

Barry Faust — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:37:11 +0000

By the way PCC’s cannot enforce parking fines only councils and offical bodies can. Un less they actually send you a bona fide court paper(I would check with the court it is genuine first) then ignore all correspondance from any private car company they use the threat of action etc etc to bully you into paying up as they do not want to take anybody to court due to costs and the fact they would loose the case as private car parking fines are unenforceable so do not pay ever pay up.

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by jerry

jerry — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:15:12 +0000

I just cross checked the letters I have been sent by Roxburghe and Graham White Solicitors – Like Barry has mentioned its a front as the phone numbers are similar – Roxburghes tel is 01932 332048, the phone number on the Graham White Solicitors letter head is 01932 332020 and the telephone number on the same letter is 01932 332049 and its not even proper letter headed paper!

I received a letter initially from roxburghe telling me of a car parking fine in a place that i had not even been to, i called them and they said they will send me photographic evidence (which i am still waiting for!), and today i get a letter from Graham Whiteside solicitors telling me that its my final warning, and that i should respond within 14 days, and i receive the letter 7 days after the dated letter!

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Barry Faust

Barry Faust — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:07:19 +0000

I decided to do some digging on these so called solicitors and I am glad I did, they do not exist!! They ceased trading in November 2005, roxbourgh debt collectors are using the solicitors name as a front to extract money from unwiting drivers who pay up to keep them at bay. i have an email form the solicitors regulation authority confirming this, this means the letters and all the correspondence are in my opinion illegal and cannot be enforced I for one will be making further enquiries with the authority that regulates the company they will have some explaining to do!! Dont pay Graham White Solicitors!

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Craigb

Craigb — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:02:41 +0000

Followed from above post:

The story in a nutshell is:

Was collecting new born baby daughter from hospital
Parked in 30 min area in front of maternity ward
Just about to leave when baby was taken very ill and rushed to the special care baby unit in an incubator, oxygen, drip, antibiotics etc… all very stressful and frightening
Daughter stayed in hospital for another week in special baby care unit fighting an infection
Returned to vehicle slightly late for obvious reasons(approx 30 mins late)
£80 parking charge notice issued by CMS – ignored
A while laterfirst payment demand frm CMS arrived – ignored
A few months later another demand from CMS now for £130 – ignored
A few months later – letter from Graham White entitled “Notice of intended litigation” adding costs of £207 to the already £130
Threats to start county court proceedings
Letter threatens “seriously effect you getting credit for 6 years”…”baliff to attend your address and remove goods
“pay now” …blah blah blah
I had read lots of comments/blogs and info on the web and 99% said “DONT PAY” , dont respond, dont reply, call or acknowledge anything from them…… was this the right thing to do?

I would really appreciate some comments from your readers on what i should now do. They have a pic of me parked in the bay, but parking in the bay isnt a problem its the overstay they are trying to fine me for.

All comments greatfully recieved.
Thanks

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by Craigb

Craigb — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:50:47 +0000

I also have a story related to current dealings with Graham White Solicitors and parking at the Leicester Royal Infirmary last year.

Comment on Parking Tribunal Victory over Brighton & Hove City Council by geoffrey stansfield

geoffrey stansfield — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:45:05 +0000

RE THE GREAT COUNCIL PARKING FINE SCAM ” GOING DE-CRIM”

Might I also add something to the above ?

As a result Councils have simply stolen the streets and are busy renting these back to the Electorate from whom they have been stolen ; And recklessly killing Businesses in the process , without conscience or remorse ; And charging ever increasing rents for the streets which they have hi-jacked ; And causing no end of stress to the Public who simply cannot go about their daily lives because City access is being constricted by Council greed ; Especially damaging across a whole range of areas , from Village Shops to London’s West End .
This is unacceptable : It is alleged that this wide-spread practice may even be a form of “money laundering ” ; It is terrible now ; It can and will only get worse ; It must be remedied at the highest level possible ; Many have publicly railed against the symptoms ; Might the above be one of the main roots of causation perhaps ?

Comment on Parking Tribunal Victory over Brighton & Hove City Council by geoffrey stansfield

geoffrey stansfield — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:29:51 +0000

THE GREAT COUNCIL PARKING FINE SCAM “GOING DE-CRIM ”
In a London Evening Standard Article , 2 December 2011 , “ Westminster’s parking plan will stifle West End culture ” , Lord Tony Hall , CEO Royal Opera House , asks : ” The only question remaining is : Why isn’t Westminster listening ? ” . Based upon considerable research , might I suggest that the answer is most likely to be as follows :-
They are not listening because they are attempting a “ cover-up ” of a country-wide Council scam .
This has all the symptoms of a ” cover-up ” to a scam , and it is the “ symptoms ” which are being reported .
Since Council’s have taken over the collection of parking fines from the Police , evidence exists of many hundreds of Small Businesses being damaged Country wide .
Since the introduction of Civil Parking Enforcement , Council’s Parking Policies have been aimed at making excessive use of Parking Restrictions – especially Single & Double Yellow lines .
Councils are using these simply to increase Council Revenue , rather than such Parking Restrictions being used for the proper purposes for which Parliament intended , being in the main for avoiding danger & easing congestion .
In their excessive zeal for extra Revenue Councils are often by-passing the prescribed Statutory Procedures in the process , which in other circumstances might be classed as “ money laundering ” .
Geoffrey Stansfield , Independent Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers , Newcastle upon Tyne

Comment on Graham White Solicitors, parking companies and the law by S Groves

S Groves — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:07:42 +0000

@ Fergus
Firstly I am not a solicitor, only another victim of the incompetences of these parking charge companies. My views are my own and may not be legally correct, they are only what I have developed in the last 4 months from reading various threads about the ways PCNs are followed up.
Fergus this is a concern for you I know, but there is a case that has recently been taken to court by Parking Eye as described above. Parking Eye won the case but only their parking losses. Do you know what the fee for the car-park was? If it was free for 2 hours, as appears from your text, and the car park was not full, then you can, and should, argue that they have suffered no loss. Stand your ground, correspond with them in writing only, and make a genuine offer to settle (with no money needed). If there was a charge for the first 2 hours then offer this in full and final settlement. They are not allowed to apply a penalty, only to recover losses. If they incur additional costs during this process then that is their own fault. The only additional cost you need to offer is the fee for the DVLA search, my understanding is this is only £2.50. Let them take you to court. By going to court they are obliged to present evidence that you contravened the parking area notices; remeber you are innocent until proved guilty. I would expect that they would have to provide images of the notices in the correct area, and clearly visible to customers, and evidence that the payment machines were working, or that there was an alternative method for collection. If they weren’t then you should not be at fault. May be ask them to provide accounts for the day in question. How much revenue did they receive from vehicles parked in the car park on the day in question, that was collected on that day, and how much are they seeking in penalties?
As a pensioner if you can’t afford the penalty, then even if found at fault by a court what “fine” will the court apply to you? Probably nothing, and if you offer to settle now then costs may be waived too. Please look at the thread I’ve detailed above. The whole case is very interesting.

Comment on Brighton & Hove Parking – criminal racket in disguise by Parking Tribunal Victory over Brighton & Hove City Council | A Brighton Boy Blogs

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:36:24 +0000

[...] whereas in fact I was loading – see also the original posts Testing the Parking Tribunal and Brighton & Hove Parking – criminal racket in disguise Categories: Consumer Issues, Righteous Indignation, Social/Political Comment Tags: Brighton & [...]

Comment on Testing the Parking Tribunal by Brighton & Hove Parking – criminal racket in disguise | A Brighton Boy Blogs

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:34:04 +0000

[...] money and resources. Please, Mr Osborne, how about we cut the parking bureaucracy first?See also Testing the Parking Tribunal and Parking Tribunal Victory over Brighton & Hove City Council Categories: Consumer Issues, [...]