Premier Park parking tickets

About Premier Park

Premier Park Limited is a UK private parking management company managing over 850 car parks for more than 350 clients across the country. They operate across sectors including shopping centres, retail parks, healthcare, business parks, transport hubs and leisure venues. Premier Park are a BPA Approved Operator — a member of the British Parking Association’s Approved Operator Scheme, which is the main trade body regulating private parking in the UK.

Like all private parking operators, Premier Park issues Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) that are not fines in the legal sense. They are contractual invoices based in civil law — and that distinction is critically important when it comes to challenging them.

How Premier Park Enforcement Works

Premier Park primarily uses ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) camera technology. Their enforcement process typically works as follows:

1. ANPR cameras photograph your number plate on entry and exit
2. If a breach is detected — overstay, no payment, restricted bay — a PCN is generated
3. Premier Park request your details from the DVLA as the registered keeper
4. A Notice to Keeper is posted — for ANPR tickets this must arrive within 14 days of the parking event
5. Payment is typically requested at £100, reduced to around £60 if paid within 14 days
6. If unpaid, further letters follow and in some cases a county court claim may be issued

Is Premier Park a BPA or IPC Member?

Premier Park Limited is a BPA Approved Operator — confirmed on their own website. This means:

• They must follow the BPA Code of Practice
• If they reject your initial appeal, you have the right to escalate to POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) for a free independent review
• POPLA decisions are binding on Premier Park

Can You Ignore a Premier Park Charge?

Technically, Premier Park cannot force payment without taking you to court. However, ignoring a charge carries real risks:

• The charge will escalate from the discounted amount to the full amount
• Further letters will follow, potentially including debt collection correspondence
• In some cases a County Court Judgment (CCJ) may be sought — which if unpaid can affect your credit record for six years

Our recommendation: don’t ignore it — appeal it. A well-constructed appeal is free and could result in the charge being cancelled entirely.

Step-by-Step: How to Appeal a Premier Park PCN

Step 1: Check Your PCN Carefully

Read the Parking Charge Notice carefully before doing anything. Common errors that can invalidate a PCN include:

• Wrong vehicle registration number
• Wrong date or time
• Notice to Keeper received more than 14 days after the alleged parking event (a breach of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012)
• Missing mandatory statutory wording required under PoFA 2012
• Incorrect site address

Step 2: Consider Approaching the Landowner First

If you were a genuine customer at the site, contact the landowner or site manager directly and ask them to cancel the charge. Many landowners have the authority to intervene and will do so for genuine customers — particularly at retail parks where the parking is meant to serve shoppers.

Step 3: Submit Your Formal Appeal to Premier Park

You have 28 days from the date of the PCN to submit an appeal. Premier Park can be contacted via their website at premierpark.co.uk. Your appeal should include your PCN reference, vehicle registration, full name and address, grounds for appeal, and any supporting evidence.

Grounds for Appeal: What Actually Works

1. PoFA Non-Compliance

If the Notice to Keeper was not issued within 14 days of the parking event, or lacks required statutory wording under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the keeper cannot be held liable. This is one of the strongest arguments available.

2. Inadequate or Unclear Signage

A parking contract is only valid if the terms are clearly communicated at the point of entry. Signs that are absent, obscured, damaged, poorly lit, or positioned after the entrance may mean no valid contract was formed. Photograph any signage issues you can find.

3. Grace Periods Not Applied

The BPA Code of Practice requires operators to allow a minimum 10-minute grace period at the end of the permitted parking time. If you overstayed by 10 minutes or less, this is a breach of the code and strong grounds for cancellation.

4. Keeper Liability Not Properly Established

Premier Park must follow a strict process under PoFA 2012 to pursue the registered keeper. Any procedural failure — incorrect dates, missing information, late service — can invalidate the claim against the keeper.

5. Valid Permit or Right to Park

If you held a valid permit, or were visiting premises where parking was included in your visit (e.g. a retail park where you made a purchase), state this clearly and provide supporting evidence such as a receipt, booking confirmation, or permit document.

6. No Landowner Authority

Premier Park must have a valid contract with the landowner authorising them to issue charges. Request a copy of this contract — if it is deficient or cannot be produced, this can be a strong ground for cancellation at POPLA.

7. Disabled Bay or Specialist Bay Issues

Premier Park explicitly manage disabled and parent-and-child bays on many sites. If you hold a valid Blue Badge or were entitled to use a specialist bay and have been ticketed in error, include this in your appeal with supporting documentation.

8. Genuine Emergency or Mitigating Circumstances

Medical emergencies, breakdowns, or other unavoidable situations can justify cancellation. Support your claim with a doctor’s letter, hospital record, or breakdown recovery receipt.

Step 4: If Your Appeal Is Rejected — Escalate to POPLA

If Premier Park rejects your appeal, they must provide a POPLA verification code. You have 28 days to submit a free independent appeal at popla.co.uk. POPLA is independent of Premier Park and the BPA, and their decisions are binding on the operator.

What If Premier Park Takes Me to Court?

If you receive a genuine, stamped county court claim form, you must respond — do not ignore it. See our further help page for links to specialist forums. Check whether their representative has a proper right of audience — if not, the case may be struck out before the merits are even argued.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Premier Park take me to court?

Yes — as a BPA member they have the legal right to pursue unpaid charges through the county court. However, not all unpaid tickets result in court action. Always respond to any formal court papers.

Do I have to tell Premier Park who was driving?

No. You are not legally required to name the driver. If you choose not to, Premier Park must pursue the registered keeper under PoFA 2012 and meet strict procedural requirements to do so.

Will a Premier Park PCN affect my credit score?

No — a PCN itself will not affect your credit rating. Only an unpaid CCJ could affect your credit file.

What is the difference between a PCN and a fine?

A PCN from Premier Park is a civil invoice — not a criminal fine. It carries no penalty points and no criminal record. Only council-issued PCNs or police Fixed Penalty Notices are statutory fines.

Summary: Your Action Plan

1. Check your PCN for errors — registration, date, 14-day PoFA rule
2. Try the landowner first if you were a genuine customer
3. Submit a formal appeal to Premier Park within 28 days
4. If rejected, request your POPLA code and appeal within 28 days
5. If court papers arrive, always respond — never ignore them

How can Parking Cowboys help?

1. Understand what private parking tickets are
2. Find out about appeals and the POPLA service
3. Our essential fightback guide

If you’ve received a court claim:

1. Understand how claims are enforced in county court
2. Learn about County Court Judgements and your credit file
3. Consider our legal advice partner JustAnswer — click here for a no-obligation enquiry

Best of luck — we’ll help you through this!

Premier Park Contact Details