Excel Parking: Judge dismisses case against pensioner after 18-month dispute

A plucky pensioner faced down months of threats of legal action and bailiffs to take on Excel Parking in court - and won.

Stanley Luckhurst, aged 85, spent 18 months in dispute with the Sheffield company after he mistakenly stopped in a reserved space at a car park in Uxbridge.

When it finally wound up at the Royal Courts of Justice, a judge dismissed the case and ordered Excel to pay his costs.

Stanley argued the lighting was too dim to see markings and warning signs. And photographs taken by Excel using flash proved it.

Excel’s paralegal Mohammed Wali failed to attend and sent a stand-in with no knowledge of the case, Stanley said. The firm’s claim for £255 - made up of a £100 'fine', £60 debt recovery charge, £35 'issue fee', £27 'hearing fee' and £50 for solicitors - was rejected and instead the judge handed it a £306 bill to cover Stanley's costs.

He said: “I strongly resent how Excel tried to turn a £1.60 parking fee into a £100 fine and ultimately into a demand for £255."

He added: "Let’s hope the Government’s proposed new Parking Code of Practice will address these failings.” 

An Excel Parking Services spokesperson said: "The judge denied our representative from presenting compelling evidence. As such, we are currently considering our position and in view of this it is not appropriate for us to comment further at this stage."

Early on in his battle, Stanley said he appealed to the Independent Appeal Service, operated by industry regulator the International Parking Community. But it was rejected. The IPC is funded by parking firms including Excel Parking.

The Government has announced a clampdown on the private parking industry. It is proposing to slash ‘fines’ and introduce a Private Parking Code of Practice for firms and an independent appeals service for drivers. A consultation runs until September 24.