The photo above was taken in recent miserable weather, but the context suits the subject matter and features Rye News reader Andrew Osborne whose bitter fight against Euro Car Parks taken to court was reported in Rye News in January.
Andrew’s legal challenge against his ‘fine’ from Euro Car Parks (ECP) is ongoing and the photograph is of him holding all the letters received from Euro Car Parks and their legal cohorts. Pressure is mounting and in addition to endless letters, he is now also receiving robocalls from litigators.
Whilst awaiting judgement in his case against ECP Andrew has a goal: to force operators of all car parks similar to the Wish Street site to have a barrier, to enter all car parks, and drivers pay for their stay when they leave. Currently, on entering Wish Street car park, the clock starts ticking on entry, not from the time printed on your ticket. If barriers are introduced, drivers then do not have to gamble and guess how much time they need and are not lured into making an honest mistake resulting in a ‘fine’ – which is actually an invoice. The odds are that ECP always win the game of chance – like blackjack at the casino. The hope is that if a barrier is not in place the operator would not be allowed to operate.
Car park barriers could be considered to be an essential feature, helping to prevent the entry of unauthorised or unsuitable vehicles. They can also improve safety by helping to slow down traffic at the entrance to a car park, reserve allocated parking spaces for their owners and manage traffic flow throughout the premises.
Andrew’s local hospital decided to charge for parking and there was a big consensus that they had to put barriers in so people did not take longer visiting a sick or dying relative and then get fined.
What do you think? Is the suggestion of a compulsory barrier the answer? An open and shut case? Whatever your views, until something changes, visitors getting ‘caught’ in Wish Street car park may think twice about revisiting Rye, and surely nobody wants that.
Image Credits: Andrew Osborne , Nick Forman .
Has anybody out there had any issues with TPS (Total Parking Solutions) who ‘manage’ Jempsons’ car park, Rye? It would seem there may be spurious ‘parking charge’ notices issued.
I ignored my fine. They didn’t. I just stopped buying from Jempsons. Then I started again. Being punished is now intrinsic to life in the UK.