What a horrible experience, credzb4, compared to mine in this car park. However, for the record last Saturday (24th January) I parked here and when I returned the payment machines indicated I had £7.50 to pay, but displayed notices indicating that due to a fault, payment by card was not possible and only cash would be accepted today. My £5 note was accepted, but when I tried to insert a £2 coin and a 50p piece the machine's coin slot seemed to be blocked by a flap behind it and the coins would not go in. I contacted a man on the intercom who gave me instructions on how to get the machine to release my card, and advised me to pay the balance of £2.50 at the exit barrier by card, because £5 would now have been credited to the ticket by this machine. However when I reached the exit barrier and inserted the ticket there it indicated that I still had the full £7.50 to pay. This time I spoke to a woman on the intercom and explained things to her, and then she asked me if I had given my name to the man I had spoke to upstairs. As I had not, all that she could suggest was that I go back to that machine and speak to the same man again. (But where was I supposed to leave the car, I wonder ? Parked at the barrier and causing an obstruction, in the street outside where I risked getting a penalty notice from the council's traffic wardens, or back inside the car park, picking up another ticket on the way ?) I was so annoyed I just paid the £7.50 to get out on top of the £5 I had paid upstairs, pleaded with the woman to let me out, and concluded our discussion by telling her that we shall not be using NCP car parks again if we can help it.
29-01-15
