0:00:04 > 0:00:08Every 4.6 seconds, somebody in Britain receives a parking ticket.
0:00:08 > 0:00:14- Not good.- Last year, councils issued more tickets than ever before.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16You've been issued a ticket, mate.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18It's not really fair for only 2 minutes.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Parking fines now raise hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25They care about the money. Show me the money!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27They're too fond of fining drivers.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29They're like vermin.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Now the motorists of Britain are fighting back.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Stop! Stop! 60 quid, mate.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38If I'm right I'll fight.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Our way of life's at stake.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43- Because I'm a pensioner, I can't afford 70 quid.- All right, well now... Yeah, all right.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47It's a battle between citizen and state.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51- It seems like it's just a parking ticket.- But it's not. It's not.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56I think this country does need a revolution.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00So is this about parking or about something bigger about society?
0:01:00 > 0:01:02No, this is about parking.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Councils enforce parking restrictions to ensure road safety
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and the smooth flow of traffic along our streets.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24But there is a gang of masked riders who believe
0:01:24 > 0:01:27some councils are over-stepping the boundaries,
0:01:27 > 0:01:32by using parking enforcement to make money out of motorists.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35We've all got our names.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39We've got S&M, me, I'm the Bald Eagle, Steve.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42We've got Monkey Girl - she's not here today.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47S&M and Parking Warrior are going to be coming back very shortly.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49They're going to take us down to another car.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Hold on. Car. Who's ready to go?
0:01:56 > 0:02:00It's basically a mob of people that have got a single idea which is,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03we're fed up with being treated as cash cows.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04We hold councils to account.
0:02:10 > 0:02:17Today, the No-To Mob are in South London tailing a CCTV camera car.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- 'Coco, Coco, confirm we have lost the car.'- 'We're following the car.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24'We're just coming up to a set of traffic lights now.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:28They follow the cars along the highways of Britain,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31warning motorists they're being watched.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Brilliant. Well done. Wrong 'uns, ain't they?
0:02:37 > 0:02:40They're only there to take money off the poor people.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45We started to follow them around to see what their habits were.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48What we found was that they returned time
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and again to the same venues, and we call those venues honeypots.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56The Mob have tailed this car to Southwark.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58It's parked outside a Tesco Express.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02In our experience, the cars aren't very visible,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and that's what we do, we go out and we make them visible
0:03:05 > 0:03:08by standing and holding out signs and pointing to the car.
0:03:10 > 0:03:17Southwark Council say their CCTV vehicles are clearly marked and not covert.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21They urge motorists to read the road signs to avoid getting tickets.
0:03:24 > 0:03:30I totally agree with it, because I've just parked there to run in and get a newspaper the other day
0:03:30 > 0:03:34and I got a ticket! And I thought the whole point of having that lay-by there
0:03:34 > 0:03:37was so that people could park outside Tesco.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- What's the point of putting it there?- You haven't seen the signage that's there,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43- so it obviously isn't good enough.- It isn't good enough.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46And they know it isn't good enough, because they've got him there
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- waiting to catch people unawares, like yourself.- Oh, is that what they do?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53That's what he's doing. That's how you got caught. That guy sits there.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- They're doing it deliberately? - Yes.- What are you doing?
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- We're warning and stopping people... - Well done. Well done.- ..parking in that bay
0:04:00 > 0:04:02for the couple of hours that they're not allowed to,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05so that they don't end up with these tickets. It's disgraceful.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09- What is the point of it?- The point of it is purely about making money out of motorists.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13- It's absolutely all it's about. - It is such a rip off. So well done. Well done.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Thank you very much.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- This bloke's given us the thumbs up. - I like what these guys are doing.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20And they need to be all over the place.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24- I will be there to support them, yeah.- Well done, mate. Well done.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- You have a nice one.- And you. Thanks a lot, mate. Cheers. See ya.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31We know the scale of the industry, and the fact that they use
0:04:31 > 0:04:35the word "industry" is what really concerns us.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I've long maintained that an industry should have a product,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42and the only product of this particular industry is human misery.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Faced with paying out a record-breaking £700 million
0:04:50 > 0:04:53in penalties to local councils,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56we now contest our tickets in unprecedented numbers.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Motorists appeal first to the council, but if they're
0:05:02 > 0:05:08unsuccessful, they can put the case to a dedicated Parking Tribunal.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Let me introduce myself, my name's Caroline Shepherd
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and I'm the adjudicator who will deal with your case.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I'm completely independent of the council and of yourself.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Caroline Shepherd is the Traffic Penalty Tribunal's chief adjudicator.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26The Traffic Penalty Tribunal covers both England and Wales.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28There are about 280 local authorities all around the country
0:05:28 > 0:05:32that are issuing parking tickets and Penalty Charge Notices.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36I'm afraid it's very common in traffic.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39And if you get one of those and you want to appeal against it
0:05:39 > 0:05:43then you can write to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and then the adjudicator will decide whether you have to pay or not.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53Tribunals take place in hundreds of towns and villages across England and Wales.
0:05:57 > 0:06:04Les Powell was given a ticket for parking on a single yellow line outside his bank in Cradley.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09I'm not one to back away if I'm in the right.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Les has a disabled badge.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14It allows him to park on single yellow lines.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16He received a ticket after the traffic warden
0:06:16 > 0:06:19maintained his Blue Badge was not on display.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24That Blue Badge was in my car and it was on show.
0:06:24 > 0:06:30And there's no sympathy whatsoever from these wardens.
0:06:30 > 0:06:36And they think they're the Gestapo, Hitlers, the lot of them.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Because they've got their uniform on, they've got power.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42How much was your fine? How much?
0:06:42 > 0:06:45£70. Well, I haven't paid it and I shan't pay it.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48I'll go to jail for it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Do you really mean that?
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- Oh, yeah.- Really?
0:06:56 > 0:07:02I'll go to jail because I'm innocent. And that's it. I am innocent.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Today, Les will attend the tribunal to argue his case.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11If they want to take me to jail from tribunal, I'll go.
0:07:16 > 0:07:17If I'm right I'll fight.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Les will be up against Sandwell Council's Head of Parking - Kira Flack.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35British people are very good, and they like to abide by the rules,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and it's only a small minority that doesn't comply.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42And they are the ones we really need to educate.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50If I go here today they won't call me a liar because I shall be telling the truth.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55My father always told me, "Tell the truth and nobody can hurt you."
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Now of course we have people who are not entirely truthful,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07but that may apply on both sides. We treat everybody equally.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Motorists must gather their own evidence to
0:08:11 > 0:08:14prove their case against the council.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Typically, photographs are very helpful.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20People just really need to say what happened and the adjudicator
0:08:20 > 0:08:23will then see whether that fits within the law or not.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27I'll need your name I'm afraid.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31My name's Aoulik. A-O-U-L-I-K.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35The council have brought along the Civil Enforcement Officer
0:08:35 > 0:08:37who issued Les with the ticket.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40- So, Miss Aoulik, you issued the Penalty Charge Notice.- I did.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Now would you like to tell us why you issued it?
0:08:44 > 0:08:50The car was parked on a single line on the High Street in Cradley, and I could not see no Blue Badge.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53She says that she didn't see the Blue Badge.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55OK, well, I'll deal with that in a minute.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59I'll give you a full chance to deal with that in a moment, but she says
0:08:59 > 0:09:02she didn't see it at this stage, and then it's your turn, all right?
0:09:02 > 0:09:05OK. So, yes.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Then he became very rude and started shouting at me
0:09:08 > 0:09:11and saying that I wasn't doing my job properly.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14She was standing in front of the car and I walked up
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and I said, "What's the problem?"
0:09:17 > 0:09:21She says, "You're parked illegally." I says, "Have you seen this?"
0:09:21 > 0:09:24And she came round to the side of the car
0:09:24 > 0:09:29and I pointed to the windscreen and the Blue Badge was on the dashboard.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Is that correct? Is that correct, I'm asking you?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34No, no, no, please.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Right. Now Mr Powell says it was on the dashboard.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41It wasn't.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Right, have we got any photographs? Page 23.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46- Just a minute, just a minute. - First of all...
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Is that correct what I've just said?
0:09:48 > 0:09:53All right, now let me just try and take this one step at a time.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Because I'm a pensioner and I can't afford 70 quid.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00All right. Now please, that's OK. That's all right. Now please, Miss Flack.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Yes. I was just going to explain why it was on that occasion.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Let's go to the photographs.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Let's have a look. It is normal to have closer pictures of dashboards.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Why did not you not take one close-up on this occasion?
0:10:15 > 0:10:19I just thought that was a normal picture to take.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24There could easily be a Blue Badge near the tax disc, could there not?
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I'm not going to take this any further and I'll tell you why,
0:10:33 > 0:10:39because I think the photographs simply do not show that there was no Blue Badge there.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42And so I'm allowing your appeal,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- and there's no question of you paying anything, Mr Powell. - Thank you.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51I got justice.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53And I'm 70 quid better off.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58It's not a matter of winning or losing,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01it's about getting the processes right.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03We should be doing the job fairly, equitably
0:11:03 > 0:11:07and be fair to the customer.
0:11:07 > 0:11:13You call people customers, are they customers or are they citizens?
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I mean, this is a local authority.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17They're both, they're citizens and customers.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21When they go in our car park and they buy a Pay and Display ticket
0:11:21 > 0:11:24or they park on the street and buy Pay and Display ticket.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29They're our customers and we... They have expectations as a customer what
0:11:29 > 0:11:33we should be providing them with and how we should be dealing with them.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Like a business relationship?
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Yeah.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46Kira Flack is in charge of Sandwell Council's traffic wardens.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Chris Clarke has been patrolling these streets for three years.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53I get laughed at. You get the cars driving past
0:11:53 > 0:11:57and trying to aim the splash of a big puddle straight at you.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01Yeah. I've had that as well.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Hello. Hello, you all right?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09No, you have to move it on unfortunately, please.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Honestly mate, you have to move it on from here straight away. Thank you.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's not in perspective at all. I've been spat at.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19I've... You know, people have wished harm on my children,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22wished harm on my family and all that kind of thing.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Threats to kill, you know, you can get threatened to kill most days.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38Is this your car, sir?
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- It's been issued with a PCN.- Say it again.- You've been issued a ticket.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46- I've been issued a ticket?- Yeah. - Why?- Double yellow lines right underneath your car. Say it again?
0:12:46 > 0:12:51- Loading-unloading there yesterday. - You've got loading bays across there, but on double yellow lines.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55I was in the loading bay yesterday and they put a ticket on my car as well. That's the second time.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57All your details are on the back. OK. I understand.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01All your details are on the back of the PCN. You can appeal the ticket and explain
0:13:01 > 0:13:04if you were loading-unloading. OK?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06They're racist. The only people is Asian people,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10they always put tickets on Asian people's cars, you know what I mean?
0:13:10 > 0:13:15It's the second time he's done it now, second time. Sort it out. Sort yourself out, you know what I mean?
0:13:15 > 0:13:20They're racist people, they're racist to Asians. When Asians come together, watch what Asians do.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21Wound me up.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25If he read signs, he wouldn't get parking tickets.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28There's enough of them about. And there's a car park up there.
0:13:30 > 0:13:38How does the parking warden know who's got out of the car that's parked? He don't.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45We are the baddies and it's just an opportunity to vent off an anger
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and abuse at someone, I think.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53My name is David Binns.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57I'd like to make it clear I'm independent from the council.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02The Traffic Penalty Tribunal employs a team of 23 legally trained adjudicators.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04My name is Nicholls, I'm the adjudicator
0:14:04 > 0:14:07appointed by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10My name's Maggie Kennedy, I'm your parking adjudicator today.
0:14:10 > 0:14:16They handle over 20,000 cases every year - by post, over the phone and in person.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18I do parking appeals all over England and Wales.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Today I happen to be almost in Brighton.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22All you need to know about me really is that I'm an independent lawyer.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25I don't work for the council, I'm not on the council's side.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I'm not on your side either.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29But I have had a good look at this,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- and you've gone at this like a dog with a sausage, haven't you?- Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34I mean, you know, we're judicial pond life really.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37You know, we don't rank at all on the scale of things.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40That's all right. I've no great ambitions. I don't need to wear a wig, it's too hot.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45Now it's quite an interesting one, which doesn't interest you, but it interests me.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Now unfortunately, I've been on to the council's website
0:14:47 > 0:14:50and they don't have any photographic evidence available.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I don't know whether that's very convenient for them.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Don't get into conspiracies, no.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57'People tell the most outrageous stories sometimes, you know,'
0:14:57 > 0:14:59the dog was sick and then the trolley wheel,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02and then the bottom fell out of the bag and then the four-year-old
0:15:02 > 0:15:06needs to go to the toilet, and all of these things happen, you know?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Sometimes they're telling the truth from their heart.
0:15:08 > 0:15:15I felt that the traffic warden had been just really - it was just
0:15:15 > 0:15:19not a very nice thing to do, and I think everything's gone mad really.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I feel justified that we arrived there,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27we were invited to park, there was that over there.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32I wouldn't stress too much that we were short of time, because we'd ten minutes to spare,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and the theatre's only a cock's stride from where we were.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39We just completely cover, you know, society from top to bottom,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41left to right, side by side.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43You know, all human life is there.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45- Thank you.- I won't shake hands, if you don't mind.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47- Yes. No.- I need to remain impartial.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51- Yes, I do understand. Yes. - Thank you, sir.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Thank you, goodbye, Mr Nicholls. - Good day.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57It's about the people, it's about the real stories
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and just getting to talk to people and them looking at me
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and saying, "Look, you know, this isn't fair."
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I did not expect in the middle of the night that these wardens
0:16:06 > 0:16:10come round at 7 o'clock in the morning. I couldn't believe it.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13What you're really complaining about is being caught, isn't it?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'In 25 years as a criminal prosecutor, I met some very polite'
0:16:16 > 0:16:20murderers and burglars who were never in the least bit
0:16:20 > 0:16:23upset that they were being prosecuted, but I've
0:16:23 > 0:16:27prosecuted hundreds of careless drivers who were deeply offended,
0:16:27 > 0:16:32mortally offended by the suggestion that they were driving badly.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37And Penalty Charge Notice recipients tend to be along much the same lines.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39The law is a very blunt weapon sometimes,
0:16:39 > 0:16:45and with the vehicle there, which you've accepted and is shown
0:16:45 > 0:16:48in the photographs, on the zig-zag lines, the contravention happens.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I have to conclude as a matter of law, the penalty charge is
0:16:51 > 0:16:54properly issued and technically you do owe the penalty.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Well, that decision is final, there is no further right of appeal
0:16:57 > 0:17:01unless you want to go to the High Court in London and argue the law with the judges.
0:17:01 > 0:17:02I feel that strongly.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Very few people do that. Usually because of the expense involved.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09On the whole, if you look at our statistics,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12more appeals are allowed than dismissed, but there are
0:17:12 > 0:17:18provisions to go to the High Court just like any legal proceedings.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20They can be judicially reviewed in the High Court,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and this has happened about three times,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27but it's not really an option that most people want to consider.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Richard Chaumeton runs a building company in North London.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38He is preparing to take his local council to the High Court.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41They care about money, that's all they care about.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Show me the money!
0:17:43 > 0:17:46His fleet of 25 vehicles has received almost
0:17:46 > 0:17:491,000 parking tickets.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Fucking hell, there's so much shite in here.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57These are all my on-going tickets with Camden. This is one location.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Is there a system?
0:17:59 > 0:18:04There will be soon. I mean I'm a builder, I'm not a Mrs Moneypenny.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Richard contests nearly every ticket he receives.
0:18:06 > 0:18:12If the boys park on a bus stop or on a Red Route, yeah, they get paid.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14But I never pay tickets. I just about never pay tickets.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17There's always a reason for me parking on a double yellow line,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19which is usually I'm loading or unloading.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24The local authorities should realise they should leave the building
0:18:24 > 0:18:27industry alone, and realise that we can't do our job without
0:18:27 > 0:18:29vehicles, we have to deliver, we have to pick up rubbish.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34By law, Richard's vans are allowed to park on double yellows
0:18:34 > 0:18:39for a limited time to load and unload.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44But he argues that, despite this, councils still issue him with tickets.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45Oh, it's mental.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49There's probably £80,000 worth of fines there they tried to
0:18:49 > 0:18:53make us pay and they probably had 2,000 quid off us if they're lucky.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56And that can't be right.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01I think some of these bureaucrats are nothing better than maggots.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06At the end of the day I'm stopping Camden stealing money off me,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10because that's how I see it. It's like legalised mugging.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Camden Council say they're improving the way they issue tickets,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18and deny that parking is run to generate revenue.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Today, Richard is making another appearance at tribunal
0:19:25 > 0:19:27to contest his latest batch of tickets.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I'm late. I've got to go in.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31A little bit late?
0:19:31 > 0:19:32Yeah, I've got to go in because I'm late.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34- How many tickets?- Four.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38It's an absolute liberty of my time, it's taking.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49This will be Richard's 57th visit to tribunal.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55He almost never loses.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01Camden Council are trying to get 1,040 quid off me, dirty bastards.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04And they didn't get one penny of that.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Dirty bastards for wasting my time.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09To try and put an end to the endless cycle of parking fines
0:20:09 > 0:20:13and tribunal appearances, Richard has decided to try
0:20:13 > 0:20:15and settle the issue once and for all.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18That's why I'm going to judicially review them,
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and put all my evidence in front of a High Court judge
0:20:21 > 0:20:25and we're going to see what divisive bullshit they come out with, because
0:20:25 > 0:20:29I know this much, a High Court judge won't accept their bullshit.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34They've picked a fight with the wrong guy, I tell you.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39And I don't go away. I do not go away, and I will not lie down and I always win.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42Camden, here I come.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Across the country, motorists are taking a stand.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Barry Moss lives in Bolton
0:20:59 > 0:21:03and is one of Britain's most high profile parking campaigners.
0:21:03 > 0:21:09Parking virtually took over my life, you know, with everything.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13You don't wake up one morning and think "Ee, today I'm going to
0:21:13 > 0:21:17"be a parking campaigner," you just... Events completely overtake you,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21and you just get involved with the issue of the day.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26After successfully contesting a series of parking tickets
0:21:26 > 0:21:31at tribunal, Barry became convinced that Bolton Council
0:21:31 > 0:21:34were issuing tickets unlawfully.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I like things to be right.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40This is why we have the problems in Britain is because we don't complain enough.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45In 2010, Barry went all the way to the High Court to try to
0:21:45 > 0:21:51prove that Bolton Council had money taken from unlawful parking tickets in their accounts.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55If there's an injustice been carried out by a council
0:21:55 > 0:22:00or any other organisation and that's where we can get redress,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02then that's where we have to go.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07Is it not a little bit absurd to take parking tickets to the High Court?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12No. No.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Where am I going here?
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Barry has dedicated his life to exposing the failings
0:22:21 > 0:22:24and loopholes of parking restrictions.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29He does this by getting tickets - deliberately.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Like here, we've got one here, see,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34where it's had a repair here in the road.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39I can park here all day. And you're not doing anything illegal.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45You still know you're parking on a double yellow line, don't you? So it's a technicality.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48It doesn't matter, they know that it wants repairing.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56There's a civil enforcement officer there. What's this here?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04The tickets give Barry the opportunity to challenge
0:23:04 > 0:23:06the council at tribunal.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16The line here is completely missing.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21There should be a line there, a line there, and a T-bar there.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24How can people comply with the Parking Places Order
0:23:24 > 0:23:28if there's no lines?
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Barry refuses to buy Pay and Display tickets
0:23:33 > 0:23:36if he believes the council haven't painted the lines correctly.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43In comparison to the other street this is how they should be.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48I mean it's still illegal because there should be a double white line down there similar to
0:23:48 > 0:23:51this one here which denotes the end of the bay.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56But everyone knows that's a parking place. So what's the difference?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Why does it matter?
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Because they're not...it's like me and you then, "Oh, we'll make our own parking bay up, eh?"
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Get a bit of yellow paint,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08stick a couple of lines down and that's it, you know?
0:24:08 > 0:24:10That's basically what the council's done.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Instead of looking at the book and saying, "Oh, this is what..."
0:24:15 > 0:24:20These guys are on £700-£800 a week who's in charge of these things
0:24:20 > 0:24:24and they should know what a bay looks like.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29Why does it bother you though that the council would do this?
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Because they expect us to comply with all the laws of parking
0:24:33 > 0:24:38and they're not doing it themselves, so it's a two-way street.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I'm just going to check to see if I've got ticket.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Oh, I've got one.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Success. Go to appeal with that.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59- Have you been booked?- Yeah.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Oh, how awful.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03No, it's all right love, I got it on purpose.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Are you disabled or...?
0:25:06 > 0:25:10What I'm trying to do is highlight the fact that they've not painted the lines.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14They've been like this for years and they should be nice and bright.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24I'm taking a picture of these non-existent lines.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31If everybody appealed, the system would go in to meltdown.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- INTERVIEWER:- Is that what you'd want?
0:25:33 > 0:25:35That's what I'd want, yeah,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38for everybody to challenge their Penalty Charge Notice.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42If everybody said tomorrow, everyone who got a parking ticket from now,
0:25:42 > 0:25:46appealed, it would... The system would completely go in to
0:25:46 > 0:25:51meltdown overnight, because there's only three in 1,000 appeal.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Imagine if everybody appealed.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59In the last year, the number of wardens patrolling our streets
0:25:59 > 0:26:04has declined, but tickets issued are still on the increase.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Motorists are already at the mercy of new technologies and now have
0:26:08 > 0:26:11to contend with the latest in mobile surveillance -
0:26:11 > 0:26:14the CCTV camera car.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Southend-on-Sea Council have recently purchased two.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29'It's diabolical, they're killing our trade.'
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It forces our customers to shop elsewhere
0:26:32 > 0:26:37because they will not shop down this area with this car floating round.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42I've personally been targeted and had a fine for 30-odd pound.
0:26:42 > 0:26:48The customer can't park in the mornings, from 7.30 to 9.30.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51If they do, the camera car comes along, sits behind them
0:26:51 > 0:26:53and books them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58It doesn't let you know you've been tagged. That's spying.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00The only time you'll know you've been tagged with that car is
0:27:00 > 0:27:05when that letter hits the door mat and then you feel abused, don't you?
0:27:05 > 0:27:08If it's a traffic warden, a traffic warden gives time
0:27:08 > 0:27:12for the customer to come back out the shop and move the vehicle.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15The camera car does not give that time.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18They pull up straight behind and book them.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21People do just quickly think, "Oh, I'm just going to go to the bank,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23"I'll quickly just draw some money out the cashpoint."
0:27:23 > 0:27:26It's undercover, it's clandestine, isn't it?
0:27:26 > 0:27:27I think it's disgusting.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30That's just savage. That's Nazism, that is.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31It's our way of lives at stake.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Bob has run his own independent print shop for the last 15 years.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43I guess people round the town are pissed off. It's big brother.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46It's not the right way for the council to be behaving.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52They're terrorising the people of the town.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55They're affecting people's daily lives, affecting local businesses,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59yeah, and I've just stood up and said, "No, enough is enough."
0:27:59 > 0:28:02I've made up an agenda.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06This is a mixture of last week's action points
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and I've put some extra points in.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Bob, along with other concerned members of the local community,
0:28:11 > 0:28:15has decided to form an action group against the use of the camera car.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Right now we need to get them to sit up
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and pay attention to what's been said, because, at the moment, all
0:28:21 > 0:28:25they're doing, they're just proving that we don't live in a democracy.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29The spy car, really, it's the straw that's broken the camel's back.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31It's pushed everything over the edge
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and the council have been getting away with too much for too long.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38But the first thing on here from last week was a group name.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and I've thought of two.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44One - Preserve Southend.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46And the other - Welcome to Southend.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49I rather like SOS Spy Cars.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51SOS Spy Cars.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Have you got any name that you think appropriate?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57Well, I had a number.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59The Friendlier Parking Club.
0:28:59 > 0:29:04Or the Common Sense Parking Club, the Rational Parking Club.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Perhaps it's a bit too posh, really.
0:29:07 > 0:29:08If we tooled out a spy car...
0:29:08 > 0:29:11So we don't like Preserve Southend then, to preserve our town?
0:29:11 > 0:29:13It's too long.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16It's got to be short and snappy and be memorable.
0:29:16 > 0:29:17We need to...
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Right, OK, so have we agreed on a name then?
0:29:20 > 0:29:22SOS Spy Cars.
0:29:22 > 0:29:23Right, OK.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Point four. Agreement was reached to develop 1984 theme for the spy car.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Action is me to develop a poster.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I didn't email it to you but I have come up with...
0:29:35 > 0:29:37I have enhanced the idea a little bit.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51It's very eye-catching.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Should it be, "Was this the future?" or, "Is this the future?"
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Well, that's the whole twist, isn't it?
0:29:56 > 0:29:58We're trying to change it, aren't we?
0:29:58 > 0:30:02I mean, George Orwell said in the '40s that 1984 was the future,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06actually it's about 30 years later than he predicted,
0:30:06 > 0:30:07so therefore was it the future?
0:30:07 > 0:30:09No, I'm not... Don't get me wrong,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12but, "Is Big brother Watching You!"
0:30:12 > 0:30:15should be capital B for brother and a question mark at the end.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18But, I mean, it's brilliant. I mean, brilliant.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20But, yes, you're right, that is a question mark.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22- And it should be a big B. - Big Brother, yes, yes.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24I think it's brilliant, I'm not nitpicking, I'm just..
0:30:24 > 0:30:26But other than that?
0:30:26 > 0:30:27Very, very good, yeah.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31Yeah? What's happening here is happening nationwide
0:30:31 > 0:30:34so my own personal feeling is the objective of us
0:30:34 > 0:30:38as a group should be to get rid of the spy car. That simple.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Mission statement completed,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Bob calls in motorbike gang the No-To Mob
0:30:45 > 0:30:47to deal with the camera car.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Hopefully, you'll be able to provide us with sufficient intelligence
0:30:50 > 0:30:53so that we can go down and properly investigate the cars
0:30:53 > 0:30:56and the way they're being operated, so it's a two-way street.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Yeah, I mean, one of the things we find that they do use
0:30:59 > 0:31:01the small parade of shops as their hunting ground.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Oh, well, that sounds good.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06And the councils are just kicking the small businesses in the crutch.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I can see the problem that you've got down there and I think
0:31:08 > 0:31:11you've got one of those arrogant councils that think that they
0:31:11 > 0:31:15know best, and we will be bringing it to their attention, shall we say.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- RADIO RECEIVER:- 'Bald Eagle, if you're within radio range,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23'we are still on London Road.'
0:31:23 > 0:31:25They've got two cars.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28The first thing is to locate the cars.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30They're both there.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34We are just around the corner from you, I believe.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36It's a needle in a haystack.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Where's he going?
0:31:39 > 0:31:41- INTERVIEWER:- Is it like a game?
0:31:41 > 0:31:43It's more chess really.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47- RADIO RECEIVER:- 'Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle, we have a car, over.'
0:31:47 > 0:31:51There they are, right in front of us. Right on the sea-front.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55You've just got to outwit them, that's all.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59When you do find it, it's a huge buzz.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01It's a huge buzz and you've got it.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Because once you've got it now you're going to make them
0:32:04 > 0:32:08do proper enforcement, not hide from the general public and fine them.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10You're going to be able to tell the public,
0:32:10 > 0:32:12"Listen, you're not going to hide now,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14"we're going to tell the public where you are
0:32:14 > 0:32:17"and that's what your job's supposed to be."
0:32:17 > 0:32:21There are strict guidelines laid down by the Secretary of State
0:32:21 > 0:32:23that govern how these cars must be used.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26They must only operate where it is difficult or
0:32:26 > 0:32:30impractical for a traffic warden to patrol on foot.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33These cars are not being used in that way.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36They're being deployed willy-nilly.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41This is statutory guidance, you must comply with it, and they're not.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44They're not. They're just sending the cars out where it's equally
0:32:44 > 0:32:46practical for a CO to go.
0:32:49 > 0:32:50At the moment,
0:32:50 > 0:32:55the vast majority of councils are not listening to the public and it
0:32:55 > 0:33:00seems that it's become all about the money and less about public service.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08It's not just mobile cameras that are catching motorists.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Bus lane cameras are the fastest growing
0:33:11 > 0:33:14method of enforcement in the UK.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Since last year, the number of tickets
0:33:16 > 0:33:20issued for driving in them has shot up to over half a million.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30Brighton and Hove City Council use cameras to monitor their bus lanes.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33The aim is to keep them free of traffic in a city that wants
0:33:33 > 0:33:36to promote the use of public transport.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42Andy Capie was caught and given a £60 penalty.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46There's some little guy in his office up there with the camera,
0:33:46 > 0:33:50sort of, "Oh, there's one!" And start controlling the CCTV,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53you know, with his joysticks, I guess he has.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58So, yeah, it's down to one individual up there,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02by chance, seeing me in the wrong place at the wrong time.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05"Get him, got to get him."
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Today is Andy's tribunal hearing.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11His defence is that the sign warning him
0:34:11 > 0:34:14not to turn in to the bus lane was not visible at the time.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18You'll see on my photograph it is not in this position.
0:34:18 > 0:34:24In fact, this was kind of like at that angle, and you'll see it.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26I mean, I've got it on my phone.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28There we go.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35One full-colour, glossy-finish photograph...
0:34:37 > 0:34:42..the evidence that will result in me getting the penalty cancelled.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Fingers crossed.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50What I object to is you are considered to be guilty
0:34:50 > 0:34:53until proven innocent.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56I think most people will get the letter saying, "You are fined £30.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00"We've got evidence that you've gone in to this bus lane.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05"If you don't pay within two weeks or appeal, then it goes up to 60."
0:35:05 > 0:35:07They'll go, "I'll pay the £30."
0:35:07 > 0:35:11And that's what the schemes encourage.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16They encourage people to admit to something even if they're
0:35:16 > 0:35:20not in the wrong, because they have the threat of the fine
0:35:20 > 0:35:23doubling within a quite short space of time.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Present we have Mr Andy Capie.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31From Brighton & Hove City Council, we have Mr Iain Worrall.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Would you like to then tell me what challenge you make to this?
0:35:35 > 0:35:37OK.
0:35:37 > 0:35:38Well, the one photograph that I want,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41that I've printed off so you get a much better view is this one.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43And, basically, in that photograph,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46it shows this no right hand turn sign.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48You make the point clearly.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Mr Worrall, how do you respond to that?
0:35:51 > 0:35:54That does rather challenge the council's evidence
0:35:54 > 0:35:57of adequate signage on this particular occasion.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Yeah. I accept, actually, that, from the photographs that you've
0:36:02 > 0:36:07sent in, that the no right turn sign isn't the correct way round.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10So, yeah, I totally accept what you're saying there.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11Right.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16I think we find... I'm satisfied that on this particular day
0:36:16 > 0:36:20the signage was defective because it was not in the right position
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and visible and therefore you get the benefit of that doubt.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26I will find this contravention did not happen and I will cancel
0:36:26 > 0:36:29or instruct the council to cancel this Penalty Charge Notice.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30OK. Good.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34And just before we end, is there any potential for claiming expenses?
0:36:34 > 0:36:36You can claim but you won't get them.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39The regulations under which we operate specify
0:36:39 > 0:36:43that that power will only be very rarely exercised.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46So the time it's taken to appeal this and the...
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Time is what it is, I'm afraid.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51- So there's no recompense for that at all?- No.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54This could have been very easily prevented and I think
0:36:54 > 0:36:59that's a shame, because it has taken up a lot of my time to do this.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01- You're not alone in this. - No, I know.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03The flexibility and discretion I have is quite
0:37:03 > 0:37:05limited by the government regulations, I'm afraid.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07I know, it's out of your control, yeah.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11- I have to apply those first and foremost and that's what I do.- OK.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14- Thanks for your time.- All right, thank you very much then. Thank you.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20This year, bus lane cameras netted Brighton and Hove City Council
0:37:20 > 0:37:23over half a million pounds.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25I do believe it should be enforced.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Before we had them, the bus lanes were completely clogged with
0:37:28 > 0:37:31vehicles that shouldn't be there and buses didn't run on time.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35And we know, yeah, it is proven that they do work.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39We still get vehicles in the bus lanes - 30 to 40 a day
0:37:39 > 0:37:44on a normal shift - but that's way less than it used to be so we
0:37:44 > 0:37:48know it's effective and we know that the buses run, you know, on time.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53A new bus lane in Medway, Kent
0:37:53 > 0:37:55has caught the attention of the No-To Mob.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Motorists, oblivious to the signs,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02are driving into the bus lane from two entry points.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04The fine is £60.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08It's going to get you if you come down that bus lane, isn't it?
0:38:08 > 0:38:12Medway are giving out roughly 500 tickets a week to unfortunate
0:38:12 > 0:38:15motorists who are simply not seeing the signs.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Bald Eagle takes the top entrance to the bus lane.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Kill Switch and Coco work the other end.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Right, can I advise you not to turn left or right, you'll get a ticket.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27It's now a bus lane. So you're going to have to do a U-turn.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30You think it's a really bad sign? It isn't clear enough, is it?
0:38:30 > 0:38:34It's not big enough. It's not good enough, is it?
0:38:37 > 0:38:38Oh!
0:38:42 > 0:38:44See, another one didn't see the signs.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I want Medway Council to come down here and stand with me
0:38:49 > 0:38:53for a little while. Just come and talk to us, that's all we want.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56We just want you to talk to us.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00The man responsible for the cameras in the bus lane is Andy McGrath.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04The council's position is that we would love it if we never
0:39:04 > 0:39:07issued another ticket in that area because that would mean nobody was
0:39:07 > 0:39:12driving through the bus station and that would be our preferred option.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16And we're still issuing, I guess, a significantly higher
0:39:16 > 0:39:19number of tickets than I would have expected but, having said that,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22I've visited the site many times myself
0:39:22 > 0:39:24and it's got 13 statutory signs
0:39:24 > 0:39:29explaining that you can't drive a car through there.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Medway Council at the moment are burying their heads in the sand.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34They're saying, "No, we've got the right signs."
0:39:34 > 0:39:36Yes, you have got the right signs.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39The problem is people aren't seeing them. That's not fair.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45HE WHISTLES LOUDLY
0:39:47 > 0:39:49You're very welcome. Thank you. Cheers. Bye.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54Stop! Stop!
0:39:59 > 0:40:0160 quid, mate!
0:40:01 > 0:40:02It's cost you 60 quid!
0:40:04 > 0:40:06Some people don't want to get helped.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Oh, well, win some and then the council wins some more.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Whoa, whoa, whoa!
0:40:16 > 0:40:21It's a pot of honey for the council and for the enforcement authority.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Hello, mate. I just want to warn you
0:40:26 > 0:40:28if you go left or right ahead you're going to get a £60 fine.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- Did you see the signs? - No, I didn't.
0:40:31 > 0:40:32No, I know you didn't.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38- That's another 60 quid the council aren't going to get.- Yeah.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40In seven-and-a-half hours,
0:40:40 > 0:40:46the No-To Mob managed to stop 166 motorists from using the bus lane,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49saving them £10,000 worth of fines.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52- You're absolutely fantastic. - Thank you very much.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55You really, really are. You deserve, you know,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57every good thing that comes your way,
0:40:57 > 0:41:01cos you're, you know, for the people, as it were, you know.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03You're absolutely spectacular, you really, really, really are.
0:41:03 > 0:41:04Thank you very much.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Parkex is Europe's largest parking trade show.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Each year, companies come here to sell the latest technology
0:41:24 > 0:41:28in parking enforcement to local councils.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33We're very pleased to bring to market our latest offer,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36which is the product of two years of R&D, so this year we're very
0:41:36 > 0:41:39pleased to come to Parkex and launch this product.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43It's a lucrative industry, worth over £1 billion.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46OK, this is an example of perhaps one of the more modern
0:41:46 > 0:41:48kinds of parking machines.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I grant you, it doesn't look terribly modern,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53but it looks pretty familiar to us all.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55The No-To Mob intend to visit the show
0:41:55 > 0:41:59to gather fresh intelligence on the latest technology.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03We can be clandestine if we need to be and we fully expect
0:42:03 > 0:42:08to get thrown out because we will be unveiling a little present for them.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13But I'll keep that one under my hat for now.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26'Bald Eagle, Bald Eagle, this is Coco, are you receiving? Over.'
0:42:28 > 0:42:31'Bruce, Bruce are you receiving? Over.'
0:42:31 > 0:42:34They all go down there and pat themselves on the back, essentially.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36And, "We're going to sell this to the councils
0:42:36 > 0:42:38"the best way that we can,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41"so that we can encourage them to increase their revenue."
0:42:43 > 0:42:45They'll never admit it to you
0:42:45 > 0:42:48but we know exactly what Parkex is about.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50'Sorry, say again, say again. It's Coco. Over.'
0:42:52 > 0:42:55It's huge. The money that's involved
0:42:55 > 0:43:00and when there's a lot of money at stake, then you're looking at greed.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Pure and simple.
0:43:03 > 0:43:04It's a drug.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05They're hooked on it
0:43:05 > 0:43:11and they can't see the damage that this is doing to the local economy.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17We want them to know that we're keeping an eye on them, definitely.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35When Barry took his case to the High Court,
0:43:35 > 0:43:39he became embroiled in a two-year legal battle.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42In the end, the judge ruled against him and he lost.
0:43:44 > 0:43:48The risk is that you've got to pay the costs of not only your own
0:43:48 > 0:43:52barristers but the barristers of the defendants.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58Court costs mean Barry now stands to lose everything.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01- INTERVIEWER:- How much do you owe because of that case?
0:44:01 > 0:44:04It's around about £43,000 now.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10They are trying to get me out of my house by selling the house
0:44:10 > 0:44:12and putting me out on the street.
0:44:12 > 0:44:13We can't pay it.
0:44:13 > 0:44:17If they've got to sell the house to get the money,
0:44:17 > 0:44:19then unfortunately that's the way it's got to be.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25It's the wife who is very stressed out over it, because of it.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34I built this house with my own hands, with the help of the wife.
0:44:43 > 0:44:48We built it with our own hands and it is now at risk.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51Do you have any regrets?
0:44:51 > 0:44:53No, I have no regrets, no. None at all.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58So losing the house doesn't worry you?
0:45:01 > 0:45:05Yes, it does worry me a little, yeah, yeah.
0:45:05 > 0:45:06Yeah.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Yeah, because I've finally... I've finally got somewhere that
0:45:12 > 0:45:19I wanted, a house with a south-facing rear aspect and the sheep on
0:45:19 > 0:45:24the field at the back, they come up and they take bread out your fingers.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29It does worry me a little, yeah, but I can't do nothing about it.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35So, in hindsight, would you do it again?
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Yes. Yes.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47A lot of people will question why did I risk my house
0:45:47 > 0:45:52to go to the High Court but you don't think that
0:45:52 > 0:45:56it's going to be at risk when you do it, otherwise you wouldn't do it.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01If I thought for one minute that I was going to lose,
0:46:01 > 0:46:04I wouldn't have gone anywhere near the High Court.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08Anyone who goes to the High Court always think they're going to win.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13Today, Richard is taking his case to the High Court.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15They're not fit.
0:46:18 > 0:46:23They're not fit to be allowed to run parking.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25I want to put them in their place.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27I want to put them in their place and when the High Court judge
0:46:27 > 0:46:32has told them, "Don't do this, don't do that," then they've been told.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35He hopes the evidence he's gathered will be enough to convince a judge
0:46:35 > 0:46:40that his council are illegally using parking to raise revenue.
0:46:40 > 0:46:43Making these bundles up has cost a packet.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- INTERVIEWER:- Do you worry about that?
0:46:47 > 0:46:48The expense that you've gone to and...
0:46:48 > 0:46:52No, no, because, eventually, I'll take this to court,
0:46:52 > 0:46:56I'll prove Camden Council are up to an awful lot of no good and then
0:46:56 > 0:47:00they'll stop issuing all the tickets they do and...etc, etc.
0:47:00 > 0:47:05And then I won't have to spend endless hours every week, writing
0:47:05 > 0:47:09letters to tickets that should never have been issued in the first place.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12Is there a risk involved, going to the High Court?
0:47:12 > 0:47:13Oh, yeah. Yeah.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17Probably a 100 grand, 200 grand bill if it all goes wrong,
0:47:17 > 0:47:19something like that.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21Are you confident?
0:47:21 > 0:47:23Yeah. Yeah, I'm well confident.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40If I lose this, it's bent.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43The battle lines between motorist and council have been drawn
0:47:43 > 0:47:46and the fight looks set to continue.
0:47:47 > 0:47:52There needs to be trust between the citizens in their cars
0:47:52 > 0:47:54and the authorities.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58At present, it doesn't always appear that that trust
0:47:58 > 0:48:01exists on either side.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04When it stops is when the council sees sense
0:48:04 > 0:48:10and realise that they can't use motorists as cash cows.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13They cannot use revenue-driven enforcements, it's against the law.
0:48:13 > 0:48:14It's as simple as that.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd