Station parking

Sat 26 Aug 2023, 20:17

On August 5th I parked at Charlbury Station and paid the £3.20 parking fee by debit card.

The machine failed to print a ticket but took my money, confirmed almost immediately by my online banking app. I put a note on the dashboard "fee paid - printer defective" but thought no more of it until I received a Parking Charge Notice this week. 

APCOA have ANPR data and photos that show me entering and leaving the car park, but have failed to cross-reference their payment data. Why?

I have contested the PCN and APCOA can go whistle for their claimed £50!

Sat 26 Aug 2023, 08:26 (last edited on Sat 26 Aug 2023, 09:50)

Alex, There is 20 minutes free waiting time. If the train is later than that, it's necessary to drive out and then in again after a short time to avoid paying. You are relying on the ANPR camera to record your exit and re-entrance, and on occasions that can be missed. 

I also use and recommend autopay, but it's best to check from time to time to make sure that your credit or debit card is still properly registered.

Out of order machines is not allowed as an excuse for not paying for parking, as several people at Oxford Parkway recently discovered. 

Fri 25 Aug 2023, 22:55

If you drive into the station forecourt to drop a passenger with luggage off, does AutoPay have an amount of 'no charge' time to allow for such?

Fri 25 Aug 2023, 21:54

A agree Mark. If they can’t be bothered to fix the machine then why should people go out of their way to hand them money?

Fri 25 Aug 2023, 20:56

Maybe get the machine working , or provide another one. If out of order, then free parking until mended. ? Simple.

Thu 24 Aug 2023, 11:55

Also if you go to the www.apcoaconnect.com website and you create an account you can register your car/cars for Auto Pay (which works with the Charlbury car park). So they will automatically charge you when you park and you don't have to worry about paying (just make sure your payment method is up to date on the site).

What is AutoPay?

AutoPay is a system driven by Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. These are installed at participating locations and track vehicle movements into and out of car parks. Payments are taken automatically depending on the duration of stay in the car park. Please be aware each individual vehicle registration needs to be registered for AutoPay separately.

How does AutoPay work?

ANPR cameras capture number plate and date/time at the entrance and exit of car parks. If you are registered with the Auto Pay scheme, you tariff will be calculated based upon your entry and exit times for the Car Park and your account will be charged accordingly, this can take up to 15-20 working days after the initial Car Park stay. You do not need to do anything!

Do I need to pay by phone if I've signed up for AutoPay?

No ... once you've registered for AutoPay via the website, the AutoPay system will automatically use your details to take payments. It is then unnecessary to pay by phone via IVR, SMS, Smartphone or Web, provided you are using the applicable locations

Is AutoPay available at all car parks?

AutoPay is not available at all car parks but is available at a large number. Please refer to local signage to see if you can utilise the AutoPay system or refer to the following list:

• Great Western Railway - Charlbury

Tue 22 Aug 2023, 22:59

And if you have no smart phone you can pay in advance if you Google Apcoa Connect.

Tue 22 Aug 2023, 22:18 (last edited on Tue 22 Aug 2023, 22:21)

I had similar problems with the machine some time ago so I downloaded the Apcoa app onto my phone while waiting for the train.  The app is  much easier to use than the machine.  Would recommend anyone needing to park at the station to download and use that instead.

Tue 22 Aug 2023, 21:34

Has anyone experienced difficulty with the parking machine/Apcoa recently ?

Today several of us were a group of frustrated travellers, none of us were able to get the machine to accept our cards, and at the last minute, phoning the Apcoa number resulted in additional parking charges as the site number was incorrectly recorded.

A French family were unable to pay with their French phones as the QR scan didn’t work and Apcoa wouldn’t accept a call from a non UK phone. So they didn’t pay and no doubt will get a hefty fine. 

No wonder people park in town rather than at the station.....