[Steve8]

Hi everyone,

I’ve just become a new member to this forum. I would like to know if anyone else has had the same or a similar experience to what has recently happened to me at Heathrow Airport?

Almost two weeks ago I had to collect a friend from terminal 2 who was arriving from Australia via Bangkok after a 27 hour journey. The access road to terminal 2 parking is narrow, winding and shared with the access to terminal 3. Possibly this is an older part of Heathrow with roadways better suited for a previous age of fewer and smaller cars, for the record I drive a VW POLO. Due to how crowded the joint access road to terminals 2 and 3 where that morning I was pressured into remaining in the lane to terminal 3 with other drivers ignoring my attempts to change lanes. To do anything other than remain in the lane I was stuck in would almost certainly have caused a collision with another vehicle. Frustrating as this was I wasn’t too concerned as I thought it far safer to just continue the short distance to terminal 3, turn around go back and pick up the road to my intended destination at terminal 2. After meeting my friend at terminal 2 I paid my parking charge and we drove out of the airport.

Yesterday, nearly two weeks later, I’ve received in the post a parking charge notice from APCOA PARKING saying I used the drop off zone at terminal 3 without making a valid payment. At no time while turning around at terminal 3 did I pull off the road close to or anywhere near the entry/exit doors, nobody either got in or out of my car and the only time I stopped or slowed my car was to give others due right of way or safe passage. I’m shocked, disappointed and annoyed that for what I consider to be driving responsibly with consideration to other road users and avoiding the possibility of a collision that might have caused greater congestion at the airport I could face an £80 fine.

I have of course started my appeal against this notice from APCOA PARKING by describing why I came to be in the terminal 3 area. I’m hoping that by submitting along with my appeal and a copy of my paid parking ticket for terminal 2 with a copy of my friend’s air ticket for terminal 2 it will be accepted that my sole reason for ever being at Heathrow was to meet a friend at terminal 2 and not for what I seem to be being accused of. Having already paid for the parking I did use at terminal 2 I could now have to wait with this hanging over me for up to 35 days while they consider my appeal.

I have posted this to make others aware of the possible perils of driving to terminals 2 and 3 at Heathrow and to learn or get advice from others who may have had the same or a similar experience.
Thank you.

[Drivingforfun]

A family member had a quite similar issue at an airport manned by APCOA (on the day of the queens funeral, for what it’s worth) and raised an issue, the fine was very easily and immediately reduced to £15 as a “goodwill” gesture which we decided wasn’t worth arguing any more over, seeing as that’s only double what the fee was anyway

[Steve8]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

A family member had a quite similar issue at an airport manned by APCOA (on the day of the queens funeral, for what it’s worth) and raised an issue, the fine was very easily and immediately reduced to £15 as a “goodwill” gesture which we decided wasn’t worth arguing any more over, seeing as that’s only double what the fee was anyway

Thanks for your reply. Although I’m still convinced of having done nothing wrong it looks looks like I’m hoping they will make me a similar offer rather than getting myself into a protracted argument only to prove a point and possibly paying a much heavier fine later. I guess that’s how they make money.

The irony of this is that my friend has relatives in France and following a stay with my wife and I she took the Eurostar to Paris as she had always planned to and visited them next. In future we’ll advise her to fly to Paris first and then come here by Eurostar. Given this incident and recent chaos when Heathrow had to close due to the electricity sub station fire we’ll be advising other friends and relatives, to try and avoid Heathrow wherever possible and look for more customer friendly places to arrive at.

Thanks again and I will keep the forum updated with any future developments and the result of my appeal.

[NMNeil]

Originally Posted by Steve8

Thanks for your reply. Although I’m still convinced of having done nothing wrong it looks looks like I’m hoping they will make me a similar offer rather than getting myself into a protracted argument only to prove a point and possibly paying a much heavier fine later. I guess that’s how they make money.

"Never start a fight you have no chance of winning"

Sun Tzu
The Art of War.

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by Steve8

The irony of this is that my friend has relatives in France and following a stay with my wife and I she took the Eurostar to Paris as she had always planned to and visited them next. In future we’ll advise her to fly to Paris first and then come here by Eurostar. Given this incident and recent chaos when Heathrow had to close due to the electricity sub station fire we’ll be advising other friends and relatives, to try and avoid Heathrow wherever possible and look for more customer friendly places to arrive at.

But ...

Eurostar has been closed more often than Heathrow recently.

[Steve8]

Originally Posted by NMNeil

"Never start a fight you have no chance of winning"

Sun Tzu
The Art of War.

Very true. Although I posted to try and get some ideas from anyone who’s had a similar experience I also wanted it to be a warning of what could happen to anyone else driving into that part of Heathrow. I’m hoping my appeal statement and some evidence I’ve submitted will be convincing enough for them to be reasonable about this. Hmm …did I just say, “reasonable.” 😄😂🤣

[Steve8]

Originally Posted by Beelzebub

But ...

Eurostar has been closed more often than Heathrow recently.

Yes, they recently found a WW2 bomb near the track in Paris. Let’s hope Heathrow doesn’t find one, they might want someone to pay an 80+ years parking fine. 😄

[Steve8]

Thanks to all for input to my original post, especially Drivingforfun for giving me some hope that appealing a parking fine might have a positive outcome. Yesterday I received by email the news that upon appeal my fine has been completely cancelled. Although APCOA pointed out there was signage at the location they have accepted my explanation of the circumstances. I think the presentation of what I think was good evidence and a clear explanation, as mentioned in my first post, has supported my case.

In future though I will ask any friends wanting to be picked up from Heathrow Terminals 2 or 3 to take a taxi to anywhere nearby for me to meet them and then take them onward. Given what I think was an absolutely congested mess that morning I think it could easily happen to me again and doubt if appealing for a second time for the same thing would be accepted. Hope what I’ve posted here is helpful to others.

[Drivingforfun]

Thanks for getting back to us Steve, I;m glad you got a decent result 👍

[Nick]

Thanks for the update @Steve8 , good to hear you got a positive outcome in the end!
Let us know if you have any other questions along the way!

[devich]

@Steve8
I’m really sorry to hear about your frustrating experience at Heathrow with the APCOA Parking Charge Notice (PCN). It sounds like you were trying to drive responsibly and got caught out by the confusing layout and strict enforcement at Terminals 2 and 3. Your situation is unfortunately not uncommon, and many drivers have shared similar stories about the drop-off zones at Heathrow. Thanks for sharing your story to warn others – it’s a real minefield out there! 😞

Your appeal strategy sounds solid – submitting evidence like your Terminal 2 parking ticket and your friend’s flight details is a great move to show your intent was to park legitimately and not to misuse the drop-off zone. Recent posts on forums like Reddit suggest that appealing as the registered keeper without identifying the driver can sometimes lead to a cancellation, especially if you reference the Protection of Freedoms Act (POFA) or point out unclear signage. For example, one driver used a simple appeal template and got their £80 PCN cancelled within a week! However, since Heathrow operates under byelaws, POFA might not always apply, so including the context of the congested road and your brief, unintentional time in the Terminal 3 drop-off zone is key.

I’d recommend checking the APCOA Parking Portal (heathrowdropoffpcnpayments.apcoa.com) to view the evidence they have, like ANPR camera images, to ensure your appeal addresses their specific claims. If your appeal is rejected, you can escalate to the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) service with a 10-character verification code from APCOA. POPLA is independent, and around 64% of appeals are successful, so it’s worth pursuing if needed.

For others reading this thread, here are a few tips to avoid similar issues at Heathrow:

Avoid the Drop-Off Zones: If you don’t want to pay the £5 drop-off charge, use the Long Stay car parks (also called Park & Ride) for free drop-offs. There’s a free bus transfer to all terminals, which takes about 5-10 minutes.
Pre-Pay or Pay Promptly: The £5 charge can be paid online or via phone (0330 008 5600) up to midnight the next day. Don’t rely on on-site payment – there are no ticket machines in the drop-off zones, and ANPR cameras catch every vehicle. Non-payment leads to an £80 PCN, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.
Know the Layout: The shared access roads to Terminals 2 and 3 can be confusing, especially during busy times. Double-check your route to avoid accidentally entering a chargeable zone.
Consider Monthly Parking: As another user mentioned, monthly parking through platforms like Your Parking Space can be a cost-effective option for frequent travellers or those planning longer stays. It’s often cheaper than daily rates for 2-3 weeks, especially for Long Stay parking.
For those looking to save on official Heathrow parking, booking early through Compare Your Parking Deals can cut costs significantly – sometimes up to 60%! We compare trusted providers, including official Heathrow options like Meet & Greet, Long Stay, and Valet Parking, with no booking fees. Also, if you book Valet Parking, you get a 100% discount on the Terminal Drop-Off Charge, which is a nice perk. Check out https://compareyourparkingdeals.co.uk/ for deals tailored to your terminal and travel dates.

@OP, please keep us posted on your appeal outcome! Fingers crossed APCOA sees sense, as they’ve cancelled fines for others in similar situations when presented with clear evidence. If anyone else has tips or recent experiences with Heathrow parking fines, share below – it could help others navigate this tricky system. 🚗✈️