Inventor of private parking tickets praises Supreme Court decision on parking charges

Parking enforcement company Flashpark has praised the latest Supreme Court decision in an ongoing battle involving chip shop owner Barry Beavis and parking Management Company

Mr Beavis was issued with an £85 charge by after he overstayed the two-hour limit on the free parking at Riverside Retail Park by an hour. Mr Beavis claimed that the charge, issued in April 2013, was “unfair and disproportionate".

He has previously had his claim against dismissed by the Court of Appeal but he has now taken it one step further to a hearing at the Supreme Court. Judges there echoed the Court of Appeal's decision, stating that the charges were “fair" and “legally enforceable".

In a joint written ruling, Supreme Court president Lord Neuberger and Lord Sumption said: “[A business] could not charge a sum which would be out of all proportion to its interest or that of the landowner for whom it is providing the service.

“But there is no reason to suppose £85 is out of all proportion to its interests."

Now Costas Constantino, of parking enforcement company Flashpark, inventor of private parking tickets has also praised the decision made by the Supreme Court.

Mr Constantino said: “Flashpark welcomes this decision as it removes most of the controversy about private parking tickets that have been subject to controversial debates in recent years.

“The ruling is clear that where businesses and private land owners are seeking to protect their interests with fair and reasonable charges, these must be respected by the public and consumers, or this respect will be enforced by the law.

“Over 900 landowners in the country seek to protect their parking areas from unauthorised parking and this Supreme Court decision will clarify their position and help keep people and businesses moving. We wholeheartedly welcome the ruling."

Mr Constantino is available to answer questions and quotations from the press and is available by phone on 07831 299 288 or by email costas@flashpark.co.uk.