Disgusted by fine injustice
Windsor: Couple could not pay at Castle Car Park
Two Maidenhead residents have expressed their anger after receiving a parking fine where they had sufficient change but were unable to pay.
Pamela Arnold, 82, said she was looking forward to her birthday trip to Theatre Royal Windsor with her husband Leon, 88, on Friday, November 5.
Beforehand, the couple had spent much of the past 18 months self-isolating due to the pandemic.
Mrs Arnold said they arrived at Castle car park in Windsor at around 7pm, where they parked to ensure they could easily access the theatre.
The car park is privatelymanaged by UK Parking
Ltd, and is adjacent to River Street Car Park which is owned and maintained by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
Mrs Arnold, a former dancer with the Royal Ballet Company, said that she found one of the two parking machines to be out of order.
When she tried to use the
second machine, which she was required to use with a small torch, Mrs Arnold said she was unable to pay.
Despite having the correct amount of change, the cashonly machine rejected her £10 in coins.
With the play due to start and no parking attendant on hand to assist, Mrs Arnold left a note on the windscreen detailing her problems.
When she returned from the production later that evening, Mrs Arnold said she was ‘horrified’ to see a parking ticket had been plastered over her windscreen note.
“Surely this isn’t right,” she said.
“They want visitors to come to Windsor, the theatre wants visitors too, yet there’s no facility to pay by credit card – everybody was wandering around not knowing what to do.
“We wanted to pay, and we had the money to do so, but it wouldn’t accept it.
“It’s disgusting. Somebody said ‘there’s usually a man in a booth over there who gives change’ because it took nothing except coins.
“Few people carry £20 or more – or whatever the maximum is at that venue – in coins on their person. Surely it should, at least, give its patrons the opportunity to pay by credit or debit card.”
Mrs Arnold added that because she had unsuccessfully appealed the fine, she was now required to pay the full £100 amount as opposed to £60 had she paid within 14 days.
She continued that despite the ‘brilliant production’ of The Cherry Orchard starring Sir Ian McKellen, the couple felt they did not want to visit the theatre again due to their issues with the car park.
UK Parking Ltd has been contacted for comment.