A NEW parking system at Cockhedge Shopping Centre angered many readers on our letters page this week. 

Total disgrace

I WANT to comment on the absolute disgrace that is the ParkingEyes car park located at the Cockhedge Shopping Centre.

When parking there on December 28, A4 pieces of paper were stuck onto both entrance barriers explaining their new number plate recognition service.

You receive two hours free parking, and you are then charged if you go over (£3 for three hours etc).

To pay for your parking you then enter your registration plate into the machine, hoping to be told how much you owe.

However that was not the case.

Upon entering your registration number the screen remains still and then refreshes itself, leaving you guessing how much you owe.

Upon exiting the car park the barriers were non-functional leaving you with no way of even using your ticket.

I received a parking fine of £60 as my parking fee was £4, instead of the £3 I paid.

I had no idea you have to remember your time as I thought the two large paying machines at the front of the car park would automatically do this for me.

What is the point of the registration plate recognition if it does not?

After returning to the car park they have built a new sign telling you to remember your time.

Why was this not there when the car park first opened?

I highly discourage anyone to use this car park.

BEVAN MULLINEUX Callands

Shame on you

I AM writing a complaint against ParkingEye which has taken over the land at the Cockhedge Centre. Since Asda opened in 1984 parking on Sundays was always free.

On Sunday, December 27, we parked on Cockhedge. The barriers were up as normal with no notices at these entrances to say you were allowed two hours free parking.

On January 7 we received a £100 fine from ParkingEye. After speaking with this company it seems changes were made at the end of November.

A staff member at Asda said they were losing sales and I am not surprised as we certainly will not be visiting Cockhedge again.

We will be appealing and I have heard of many others caught out by this scam of a company. Shame on them.

ELAINE HAZELDINE Paddington

Boycott centre

I PARKED on Cockhedge Centre car park on December 12.

I was informed that the first two hours were free and you had to pay for any time after that.

I paid £3 for extra time and received a ticket.

But I still received a letter demanding £100 and this could put some people into a panic.

My wife is disabled and the car is registered in her name. She was livid.

I think everyone should stick together and boycott this car park and the fines.

COLIN DISLEY

Lowton

Read our original story about the parking charges, by clicking here.