Callendar Square Shopping Centre bosses respond to car park criticism

Yesterday The Falkirk Herald wrote about a group of mourners who parked their vehicles in the multi-storey car park, just off Kerse Lane, in Falkirk, to attend a funeral

and were then shocked to get £100 fines delivered a few days later.

The seven £100 parking fines were issued by Blyth-based firm Parkingeye Ltd and caused anger among the mourners who stated the signage was not clear about

parking charges and guidelines.

However, Parkingeye claimed there were over 100 signs at the site giving motorists parking guidelines.

Bosses of the shopping centre were quick to defend Parkingeye.

In post on The Falkirk Herald’s Facebook site the “Callendar Square Shopping & Leisure Centre” responded by saying the car park was managed by a “reputable company” and there were moves to improve the signage.

The post stated: “The site is managed by Parking Eye, a reputable national company. They are in the process of upgrading signage, but I expect that it is all compliant if it is installed by a reputable operator.

“We have tried to make it easier for customers by introducing the option to pay online and by telephone. Also, I would stress that the parking charges have been kept low and prices have been maintained for a number of years.”

The aforementioned moves to improve signage at the site cannot come quickly enough for some motorists, who made their views clear on The Falkirk Herald’s Facebook site.

Mhoraig Chisholm: “I agree that signage is really poor and there is no indication the payment system has changed. I used the carpark recently and would have

assumed parking charges had been suspended because the barriers have been removed and the pay station was boarded up.

"I only realised that I had to pay online because the local business that I was visiting asked where I had parked and told me.”

Lynda Grant: “I saw absolutely no signs and had other people parking there ask too. The barriers were not there and a wee booth that I assumed someone was supposed to be in to take cash – as a notice on the booth says cash only – was empty. I won’t be paying my fine either. Complete joke.”

Sinead Sutherland: “The machines are not working – I got a ticket to pay £100 which will not be getting paid as the machine were broken and there was nowhere to get my tickets from.”

The condition of the car park itself was also mentioned.

Hugh Fallon: “Surprising, as it all looks abandoned and derelict. Like the bus station. And Callendar Square is no better.”

Earlier today another motorist came forward and stated she had received a fine after she actually tried to pay her parking fee.

She said: “When I returned and keyed my registration number into the payment machine a message appeared on the screen stating ‘you have nothing to pay’. I was surprised to receive a parking charge notice a few days later.

"There was no possible way I could have made payment when the machine told me that no payment was due.”