Hi all. Has anyone else received a parking ticket whilst been dropped off for a service? Since moving into their new showroom (with even less customer parking), down a private access road on an industrial estate, double yellow lines were extended across their entrance. The road owners have installed numberplate recognition cameras and engaged one of those car park operators. My daughter waited 3 minutes outside the entrance with the engine running to collect me and has just received a £100 PCN. She panicked & paid the £60 before telling me (I have since reimbursed her). Too late now to appeal. What a shame Lexus Gatwick don't warn it's customers - certainly a deterrent to having a service there. ps. still waiting for the service manager to call me.

This may be of interest if it was only 3 minutes.

https://www.britishparking.co.uk/write/Documents/Library/ppns/PPN%20023%20Jun08%20-%20observation%20and%20grace%20periods.pdf

Thanks for that. Had my daughter not panicked and paid I would certainly have contested. The enforcement notice gave no start/finish duration times as required, only two photos. The problem is that the BPA allow the operator full discretion from nil grace period to however long the operator specifies. I have not had chance to read the small print on the location display poster. I've given up waiting for the Lexus service manager to call me.

I used to like going to the old Gatwick service centre but i guess i will stick with Tunbridge Wells for now. There is always the option of getting the car collected but i think that incurs a £20-£25 charge but then the responsibility should lie with the dealership.

On 2/9/2026 at 7:39 PM, Ian2015 said:

Hi all. Has anyone else received a parking ticket whilst been dropped off for a service? Since moving into their new showroom (with even less customer parking), down a private access road on an industrial estate, double yellow lines were extended across their entrance. The road owners have installed numberplate recognition cameras and engaged one of those car park operators. My daughter waited 3 minutes outside the entrance with the engine running to collect me and has just received a £100 PCN. She panicked & paid the £60 before telling me (I have since reimbursed her). Too late now to appeal. What a shame Lexus Gatwick don't warn it's customers - certainly a deterrent to having a service there. ps. still waiting for the service manager to call me.

Contact the dealer and ask them to cancel the fine, or refund it... it is obviously not in their interest that idiot parking scammers are ripping off their customers.

As they did not issue the PCN they can't cancel it. However, at your suggestion, I have written inviting them to reimburse or at the very least warn their customers of this risk.

24 minutes ago, Ian2015 said:

As they did not issue the PCN they can't cancel it. However, at your suggestion, I have written inviting them to reimburse or at the very least warn their customers of this risk.

As a business operating on the estate, they absolutely have leverage. The parking “management” company is just a subcontractor hired by the landowner to keep randoms from blocking tenant parking - they are not a real authority, just scammers extortioning visitors. And they are allowed to operate unless they hurt real customers.

The structure is simple - the landowner owns the estate, the tenants pay rent and the PMC exists purely to serve the tenants’ interests. That means the tenants do have a say in who gets ticketed. They want enforcement against randoms, not against their own customers.

So yes, the dealer can pick up the phone and tell the PMC to ake a hike, or tell the landowner to instruct them to cancel the charge. They may not be able to press a button themselves, but they absolutely have the power to make it disappear and to demand the PMC stop targeting customers in the future.

Agree with Linas. (Again! What's happening? Maybe it's an age thing?)

The dealer will say they can't because it may involve a bit of work on their part. I've been in a similar situation and persistence pays off. Hassle the dealer. You may be now thinking well it's a while ago and the 60 quid is a memory but it's the bloody principal of the thing. And I'd consider copying Lexus UK into any correspondence with the dealer.

Don't bother with the parking contractor or the BPA. Waste of time.

Maybe just as a compromise customer relations could get involved if the local dealership wont help. If they cannot get a refund perhaps a £60 goodwill gesture off your next service.

Yesterday, I drove to Gatwick Lexus to see if I could read any signage. Without wishing to stop (for obvious reasons) all I could discern was "Warning. Private Road. No waiting/parking on double yellow lines, no exceptions". The kerb writing "Customer parking" in front of the showroom was fully occupied with sales stock Lexus cars. Parked along various areas of double yellow lines were numerous Lexus and Toyota cars, many unregistered. I just wonder if my daughter was waiting in a Lexus or a Toyota she may not have got a ticket! I'll report if I get a reply to my letter.

I've had an email back from Gatwick Lexus General Manager. He acknowledges the issue with their over zealous neighbour and are working with the landlord for a solution and to make their customers more aware of the ANPR cameras. As a goodwill gesture he has offered to reimburse the PCN. This is appreciated.

Great news!

To be fair, I fully expected this outcome, but still good to know Lexus has integrity.

Good to hear that you have been re-imbursed and that they are trying to get future risks of this happening again stopped. Perhaps they also need to make sure they have enough adequate parking for visiting customers. Thanks for taking the time to make all aware on this forum of your experience and the positive outcome.😊

I too agree the "new" Lexus dealership is not a patch on the old one and I was surprised when they took on the old Euro Car Parts site given its obvious shortcomings. As for the service manager, then I've always found him to be very good and committed to customer service, so I'm pleased you enlisted his support and got the right result. Nonetheless many thanks for the warning and something I will share with my wife when I drop off my car and she picks me up.