I’VE always complained about private car parking firms that over-charge, and sometimes clobber you with excessive penalty fines.
“Don’t worry,” says Janet. “You’ll be okay in Scarborough, with your new blue badge and we’ll park close to the promenade.”
On June 4, we circle the Yorkshire spa town like seagulls, failing to find a suitable parking spot and finally have to settle for Somerset Terrace, near the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
The sign says:
“COMPLETE PARKING SERVICES (CPS)
BLUE BADGE HOLDERS ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM CHARGES”
Fair enough, I think, as I feed enough into the voracious pay machine to satisfy it for three hours. Janet says: “It’s a long walk to the promenade but you’ll be able to rest frequently.”
She’s right, there are plenty of resting places and we manage to spend time appreciating the internal architecture of the Grand Hotel where there’s a charity fundraiser.
Later, we have a lovely pub meal and, then, from a bench on the promenade, we bathe in the east coast sunshine and watch the world go by.
“Heaven,” I sigh, licking my icecream cornet and watching a couple of infants making a sandcastle on the beach. “I could sit here until sunset.”
“Well you better get a wiggle on because our parking expires in an hour.”
“An hour? It shouldn’t take us more than 20 minutes to get back.”
“You’re 72 and not as fit as you used to be, and it’s uphill all the way.”
The first leg of the journey back is a cinch: we take the funicular cliff lift. But Janet is right. I’ve seriously over-estimated my level of fitness. My face is beetroot red, my breathing heavy and my legs, leaden.
“Oh dear. I am struggling.”
The 20-minute walk, including frequent rests, actually takes 40 minutes, and as we get back to the car, I have this sinking feeling because I know, for sure, I’ve gone beyond my car-parking time.
On June 19 – 15 days after our day trip – an official-looking letter lands on my doormat. It’s dated June 10 and appears to have taken nine whole days to reach me. Strange. The penalty is £60 to be paid before the June 24 or it increases to £100.
I formally appeal and explain that I’m a blue badge holder, and was late returning to my car because I’m recovering from three major cancer operations and very recent intensive chemo therapy at the Royal Hallamshire (I don’t consider it pertinent that in May I was given the all-clear for six months).
Photocopies containing supporting evidence are sent but I needn’t have bothered.
When the reply arrives it says: “Your appeal has been rejected” and if I do appeal again, and fail, I’ll no longer be able to pay at the reduced rate.
Nice.
I decide to cough-up but first I choose to explore what sort of heartless, money-grabbing grifters, CPS is made up of.
Their Trustpilot score fluctuates from an acceptable 2.5 out of 5 to a flattering 4.5 out of 5. Most comments are heaped with praise, including one that reads: ‘Complete Parking Services is an ethical company with an excellent customer service’.
Just before I log-off, I Google CPS but this time I get a totally different picture.
They score between 1.1 and 1.8 out of 5, and it concludes: ‘CPS has a poor rating (with) a highly unresponsive appeals processes, and penalty charge notices issued despite valid app payments, (and])faulty payment apps”.
This makes me wonder whether firms can rig the system to make themselves appear far better than they truly are.
The CPS owners care nothing for the reputation of Scarborough, only for the amount of profit they can wring out of visitors – some of whom are vulnerable. Whilst the town’s tourist board operates on a continuous charm offensive, CPS, it seems, couldn’t give a toss.
Shame really because Scarborough, where we often meet up with friends who live locally, is our favourite English seaside resort. But from now on we’ll be seeing them in Whitby, instead.
In conclusion, there’s got to be certain public services, such as health, water, transport... where inordinate profits for the tiny ‘few’ should not take priority over the needs of the many.
