Scam? Forbury Retail Park parking and Suicidal Retailers

It's a fair cop. As I parked in the Forbury Retail Park and strolled outside to take some photos in the nearby gardens, I had to walk past a sign that said, in very small writing (underneath larger writing promising 'Maximum Stay 3 Hours'), "Walking off-site will result in a charge of £100".

I then returned to the park to McDonalds and bought my lunch. Strolling back to my car I saw the dreaded Penalty Charge Notice on the windscreen.

I've now paid this after researching the whole topic for a week, it's simply more hassle than I can take to go through the various rounds of appeals and court cases etc. I suspect most other people do the same.

I guess it's private land (the retailers lease the shop space) and the landowner can put whatever strict rules they want for the privilege of parking there. But it seems crazy and totally lacking in common sense.

The idea of stopping people parking there all day while they work in Reading is fair enough - that's what the maximum stay number is for. But the idea of letting people park there, run an errand in Reading centre and then return (say) an hour later, to also shop in Home Sense, Staples, Argos or whatever and generally spend a lot of money seems the right way forwards.

Last time I went to Staples I spent £400. And, on the same visit to the car park, bought £70 of bits from Home Sense.

I'm not sure I want to give this retail park my business to the same degree anymore. And, judging from the emptiness of the car park (I did wonder) it seems that a lot of others are voting with their feet, or at least wheels.


There is NO REASON WHATSOEVER why the car park can't have a conventional max stay system (via number plate cameras?) or even a pay and display system, refundable in the shops with a minimum purchase. This would be a 'win' for both consumers and retailers.

The current UKCPS system is more like 'Nobody wins'. There's precisely zero chance now that anyone would visit these shops unless they had a very specific need and an awareness that they couldn't venture from the car park without physically driving their car out.

For example, McDonalds is apparently considered a separate car park by the idiots at UKCPS, so if you park in the main Forbury Retail Park and then walk 30 metres to McDonalds, you're classed as 'Walking off-site' and the UKCPS people leap up on your car and apply the £100 fine.

The lasting effect of this for me is that I've resolved to drive into Reading as little as possible and use the bus. Which means that I'll only be shopping in the main town centre... and not spending my money in Forbury Retail Park.

UKCPS probably don't mind, they've still got a stream of unaware drivers to fine £100 a time. That's their main income. But THE RETAILERS SHOULD CARE. They're the ones who are suffering and they'll go out of business (cough Comet, a few years ago). They need to complain to the landlord to get the car park system changed.

Because the current one really isn't working. For anyone other than bean counters at UKCPS. And I've no desire to ever ben involved with that business ever again.

Comments

Steve Johnsy said…
So let me get this straight. If the parking wardens witness you walking off site after parking your car then they hit you with a ticket? That's a new one on me.
Unknown said…
Same thing happened to me! Like you said it's too much hassle to appeal. The shops aren't open so they should have closed the gates. They are just making money keeping it open, luring people to park.

I wonder if I had bought a KFC meal and stood to eat it looking at the Banksy would I have been fined for leaving the site?

At a time when we should be supporting each other this is just making easy money because they can!

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