The owners of Five Valleys Shopping Centre have responded to issues surrounding customers being hit by unwanted parking fines.
Angry readers claim they are being hounded by parking management companies after complaining about reliability problems with ‘complicated’ ticketing machines or making an honest mistake.
One reader who didn’t want to be named said she parked up, as usual, paid at the nearby meter, and obtained a ticket. After leaving, she drove home and thought no more about it.
But the gloss quickly came off the experience when, to her astonishment, a week or so later a parking charge notice turned up demanding £85.
She said: “I was furious. They knew I’d paid to park because I sent them a copy of the ticket.”
Another reader said: “You need to be a brain surgeon to work out how to pay, I’m so frustrated as I love the whole shopping experience at Five Valleys, which has transformed Stroud.”
In a statement, Dransfield Properties, who run Five Valleys, revealed they’re are working closely with the company that manages the car park.
The statement said: “We are sorry to hear that some customers have had a negative experience when using our car park. This is not the standard of service we aim to provide, and we would like to reassure everyone that we are working closely with the company that manages our car park to support our customers.
“We strongly recommend anyone who has a query regarding their Parking Charge Notice should go through the appeals process in the first instance.
“Please head over to the ‘Parking’ section of our website where you can find detailed information, including a user-friendly video, on how to use our pay and display machines and the terms and conditions of using the multistorey car park. https://www.fivevalleysstroud.co.uk/car-parking.
“Also, look out for the Five Valleys customer service team who are on-site seven days a week and are always available to assist with any issues or queries.”
Stroud Times has contacted the parking company for comment.
