CAR PARK CHANGES ‘HAVE LEFT US OUT OF POCKET’
Anger over ‘confusing’ site
ANGRY shoppers are being left out of pocket – after falling g victim to a new payment system on a retail park car park.
ANPR technology has been installed outside Sports Direct t and Matalan, on Heathcote Road, Longton.
Signs reveal the site is now a camera-controlled car park, with a three-hour maximum stay, pay-on-exit parking, and card-only payments.
Motorists are charged 60p for r up to one hour, £1.20 for up to two hours, and £1.80 for up to three hours.
Anyone who parks for less than an hour can park for free if they buy an item from either store and then scan their receipt at the machine.
But many shoppers say they have been unable to claim their free parking after struggling to scan their receipt.
Friends Jenny Dodd, Rosemary Cornwell and Irene Bates spent eight minutes at the new parking meter trying to scan their receipt before having to give up.
Irene, aged 73, from Meir, said: “We all bought stuff in Matalan and still had to pay for parking. We’ve paid 60p when we should have got it for nothing. The receipt wouldn’t scan.
“We were at the machine for about eight minutes trying to sort it out and then a queue formed. The previous system was fine and now I won’t be coming here again because of this.
“People will just park on the Tesco car park instead and that will make Tesco full because of everybody using it. They should go back to the old parking system.
“The new system is very confusing and only takes card payments.”
Christine Mcdade was also unable to scan her receipt for free parking.
The 59-year-old, from Weston Coyney, said: “It hasn’t allowed me to scan my receipt so I can’t get the free parking, and it’s taken my card details and my money.
“I’ve asked Matalan and they say it’s nothing to do with them. I’d never had any problems with the previous parking system, but this one just doesn’t work.
“The old system was much simpler. This one is also card payment only, which isn’t good. I’ve rung customer services about it, but they didn’t want to help.
“It’s not worth complaining for 60p – but I’ve just spent £83 in Matalan and I should get free parking. It’s absolutely ludicrous.”
Rebecca Platt was able to scan her receipt, but was disappointed to find the card-only payment system.
The 33-year-old, from Fenton, said: “I’ve found the machine OK, but I think it needs some hand sanitiser by it because everybody has been touching it.
“It’s also been creating a lot of queues, which isn’t good for social distancing as some people are unsure on how to use the machine.
“It needs to be a bit clearer that it is pay-on-exit. It’s also card payment only, which is OK for me, but my mum doesn’t pay with card so she wouldn’t be able to use it.”