I thought I would share an interesting exchange of dialogue with the East Riding Of Yorkshire Council about parking in Beverley. The story, shared in chronological order below, is clear and doesn’t need more context.
While I wasted £4.50, the council has now wasted significantly more in terms of having to engage with me. In prodding the council, and discovering that the data backs up my position, I am sharing what I see as an injustice … and that is worth £4.50 any day of the week.
And why bother whinging at all? For me it was a matter of principle, and nothing ever changes if no one complains. The council has made more than £1,200 over 13 months by poorly sign posting parking charges in just one street in Beverley, and that needs addressing.
If you are ever in Beverley town centre on a Sunday, don’t get caught out as well. If I hear any more from the council, I will let you know.
23/01/24
to [email protected]
Dear Sirs,
On Sunday 21st January I visited Beverley for the first time and parked on North Gate Within, outside Pizza Express. Having paid £4.50 into the parking machine and taken my ticket, I was told by a resident that I actually didn’t have to pay on a Sunday.
The reason for my complaint is that the parking signs on the poles on the road, the stickers on the sides of the machines, and even the electronic read out on the machine itself didn’t make it clear that the charges didn’t apply on Sunday. I had to get my glasses to finally find the information on the machine’s printed information panel.
I wasn’t the only person caught out in this way either. I feel that almost every effort was made to not make it clear that parking was/is free on Sunday, and I'd like a refund.
Whilst £4.50 isn’t a lot in the scheme of things, I feel frustrated enough to write this complaint.
The parking experience marred an otherwise lovely visit to Beverley.
Kind regards,
Adrian
While I wasted £4.50, the council has now wasted significantly more in terms of having to engage with me. In prodding the council, and discovering that the data backs up my position, I am sharing what I see as an injustice … and that is worth £4.50 any day of the week.
And why bother whinging at all? For me it was a matter of principle, and nothing ever changes if no one complains. The council has made more than £1,200 over 13 months by poorly sign posting parking charges in just one street in Beverley, and that needs addressing.
If you are ever in Beverley town centre on a Sunday, don’t get caught out as well. If I hear any more from the council, I will let you know.
23/01/24
to [email protected]
Dear Sirs,
On Sunday 21st January I visited Beverley for the first time and parked on North Gate Within, outside Pizza Express. Having paid £4.50 into the parking machine and taken my ticket, I was told by a resident that I actually didn’t have to pay on a Sunday.
The reason for my complaint is that the parking signs on the poles on the road, the stickers on the sides of the machines, and even the electronic read out on the machine itself didn’t make it clear that the charges didn’t apply on Sunday. I had to get my glasses to finally find the information on the machine’s printed information panel.
I wasn’t the only person caught out in this way either. I feel that almost every effort was made to not make it clear that parking was/is free on Sunday, and I'd like a refund.
Whilst £4.50 isn’t a lot in the scheme of things, I feel frustrated enough to write this complaint.
The parking experience marred an otherwise lovely visit to Beverley.
Kind regards,
Adrian
25/01/24
[email protected]
Message for the attention of Tiffanie Huntley
Ref: TH/Baldwin_250124
Dear Tiffanie,
Thank you very much for coming back to me regarding my earlier complaint.
In response to your letter, I accept that I am at fault and your position that users have some responsibility for paying attention. What I absolutely dispute though is your assertion that the 'free on Sunday' messaging is clear and adequate. The posts on the roadside of North Bar Within state 'pay and display', they do NOT state Monday-Saturday. There are large stickers on the sides of the machines that make no reference to time limitations. And, the electronic readout on the machine doesn't state 'free on Sunday' on a Sunday.
There is a metal plate on the front of the machine that details the charging time limitations if you take the time to study it - I did after the event and assure you that the time limitations messaging does not jump out. You state that the machine gives you a readout that confirms the time expiry of the parking, before you hit 'submit' - I suggest that is the least likely thing that a user will check.
To determine if messaging is clear and adequate, perhaps I should make a freedom of information request to East Riding Council to ask about how much money was taken during 2023 and 2024 YTD by parking meters on Sundays on North Bar Within. If the messaging is clear, rather than just adequate and to the minimum requirements, I should find that the machine takings are negligible. Bearing in mind I saw others loading coins into the machines, I suspect that the minimal time limitation messaging isn't clear and is instead a money earner.
Legally, I guess the messaging is adequate, morally, I think there is a lot more that the council could do for the benefit of the town's visitors.
Kind regards,
Adrian
[email protected]
Message for the attention of Tiffanie Huntley
Ref: TH/Baldwin_250124
Dear Tiffanie,
Thank you very much for coming back to me regarding my earlier complaint.
In response to your letter, I accept that I am at fault and your position that users have some responsibility for paying attention. What I absolutely dispute though is your assertion that the 'free on Sunday' messaging is clear and adequate. The posts on the roadside of North Bar Within state 'pay and display', they do NOT state Monday-Saturday. There are large stickers on the sides of the machines that make no reference to time limitations. And, the electronic readout on the machine doesn't state 'free on Sunday' on a Sunday.
There is a metal plate on the front of the machine that details the charging time limitations if you take the time to study it - I did after the event and assure you that the time limitations messaging does not jump out. You state that the machine gives you a readout that confirms the time expiry of the parking, before you hit 'submit' - I suggest that is the least likely thing that a user will check.
To determine if messaging is clear and adequate, perhaps I should make a freedom of information request to East Riding Council to ask about how much money was taken during 2023 and 2024 YTD by parking meters on Sundays on North Bar Within. If the messaging is clear, rather than just adequate and to the minimum requirements, I should find that the machine takings are negligible. Bearing in mind I saw others loading coins into the machines, I suspect that the minimal time limitation messaging isn't clear and is instead a money earner.
Legally, I guess the messaging is adequate, morally, I think there is a lot more that the council could do for the benefit of the town's visitors.
Kind regards,
Adrian
[email protected]
25/01/24
Dear team,
In connection with the mail trail shared here, I would like to make a Freedom Of Information request.
I would like to know how much money was taken on Sundays by the parking machines on North Bar Within during 2023 and 2024 to date.
I dispute the assertion by your Parking Operations Team that it is clear that charges don't apply on Sundays, and I want to know how much the council has profited from parking charges that shouldn't actually apply.
Thanks in advance,
Adrian
25/01/24
Dear team,
In connection with the mail trail shared here, I would like to make a Freedom Of Information request.
I would like to know how much money was taken on Sundays by the parking machines on North Bar Within during 2023 and 2024 to date.
I dispute the assertion by your Parking Operations Team that it is clear that charges don't apply on Sundays, and I want to know how much the council has profited from parking charges that shouldn't actually apply.
Thanks in advance,
Adrian
[email protected]
21/02/24
Ref: TH/Baldwin_250124
Message for the attention of Tiffanie Huntley
Dear Tiffanie,
I write further to our previous correspondence. Following on from our exchange on 25th January, I raised a freedom of information request.
I have attached the response here because I think that my assertion, that your North Bar Within Sunday parking charges messaging isn't adequate, is accurate. In 2023, more than £1000 was taken on Sundays, and in 2024 to the 29th January, almost £100 had been taken inappropriately from visitors to Beverley.
Morally, I am owed £4.50.
I will decide what to do next in terms of sharing my insight more widely.
Kind regards,
Adrian
21/02/24
Ref: TH/Baldwin_250124
Message for the attention of Tiffanie Huntley
Dear Tiffanie,
I write further to our previous correspondence. Following on from our exchange on 25th January, I raised a freedom of information request.
I have attached the response here because I think that my assertion, that your North Bar Within Sunday parking charges messaging isn't adequate, is accurate. In 2023, more than £1000 was taken on Sundays, and in 2024 to the 29th January, almost £100 had been taken inappropriately from visitors to Beverley.
Morally, I am owed £4.50.
I will decide what to do next in terms of sharing my insight more widely.
Kind regards,
Adrian
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