Time out parking alert

Oct 29 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Dear Editor – A few weeks ago I parked in Town and City’s car park in Kinnoull Street, Perth.

I put £3 in the machine, discovered I didn’t have sufficient change for a further £1 so ran the very short distance to my car to collect another £1 coin.

I then took the ticket and left the car park.

Imagine my surprise when I returned just three and a half hours later to discover that I’d been given a parking ticket.

It would seem that the machine ‘times out’ if there’s a gap of any sort and so I’d only been credited for my last £1.

In response to my appeal, Town and City refer to the notices which remind you of the need to pay the correct amount, which I did.

Nowhere did I see a notice warning me that the machines are liable to ‘time out’ – yet my appeal was rejected. Since Town and City don’t see fit to warn car park users of this glitch in the system, I felt I should, hence this letter to the Perthshire Advertiser.

Esther Read,

Carnoustie,

Via website www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk.