FURIOUS residents have slammed a hidden sign which has seen them hit with costly parking fines.
Disgruntled locals in Milton Keynes say the tiny private car park is easily confused for a council one, as the sign for it is hidden behind a tree and located between two City Council parking zones.
There is nothing to clearly identify the private parking, operated on behalf of the Tenpin bowling alley, as separate such as with a barrier or road markings.
And frustrated motorists claim two small signs saying “patrons only” are easily missed as they focus on parking safely.
Local councillor John Baker has alleged that the company has been “entrapping” drivers in the private car park between two Milton Keynes City Council parking zones.
Initially, company Parkingeye erected an unlit entrance sign on a council lamppost directly beside a council parking meter.
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But before Christmas, Parkingeye and Tenpin were ordered by Milton Keynes Council to remove the sign as it was illegally affixed to the lamppost.
They eventually did so in February but Parkingeye then moved the offending entrance sign “and hid it behind a tree”, according to Cllr Baker.
It’s meant that innocent motorists, who do not notice the sign, have been slapped with costly fines even if they only parked for a matter of seconds.
Kiki’s Cafe worker Kiera Peters, 17, exclusively told The Sun: “My dad was fined a couple of weeks ago.
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“He was only parked up for two seconds. He came and dropped me off for work and then left.
“He tried challenging the charge but they weren’t accepting it. He ended up just paying for it. I think it was around £80.”
Meanwhile, Faizan Naseem, whose parents own the dental practice, has also had problems with the parking.
He says it has affected his business and that many patients have been victims of the cameras.
Faizan said: “The biggest thing is it’s not really clearly signposted.
“There are big signs at the beginning and end of the Tenpin strip but you have to get out of your car to read it.
“A lot of patients do end up parking there. I’ve told them to go back out and move their cars.
“By the time they get out they’ve already been flashed. Even if it’s just a couple of minutes.”
Kindhearted Faizan has even refunded some patients and taken money off their treatment.
People are not coming to our business because of the parking.”
Faizan Naseem
But his business is badly suffering as a result of the terribly-placed cameras.
Faizan added: “People are not coming to our business because of the parking. People on Google Reviews and Tripadvisor are saying they can’t get parking.
“It’s always empty which seems a waste of parking space.
“Things like that put people off immediately. We close the skin clinic really late to get people in after 5pm.
“It’s also a ballache for disabled patients. They tend to come in 15 minutes earlier. But now you are saying they’ve got to go to Tenpin.
“You might have to wait in a queue to sort that out and then come here.
“All of sudden you are asking patients who are already struggling to move that you are going to have to come 30 minutes earlier to be on time.”
And compliance manager at Dental Works, Andrea Cox, 52, said: “It’s not just Tenpin, it’s the whole area.
“In the council parking, it’s permit holders only between 8am and 8.30am.
“Yesterday morning we had a patient at 8am. He went out to pay at 8.30am and he already had a ticket.
“People are prepared to pay at 8am but there isn’t a facility for them.”
Cllr Baker has now accused Parkingeye of “chasing residents for parking charges” and of ignoring the councils orders.
The cabinet member for finance at Central Bedfordshire Council, has since called on the government to regulate parking companies which he says are taking advantage of motorists.
He said: “After proactive efforts of MK Council Parking Officers, who ordered the company to move the entrance signs, Parking Eye has hidden one behind a blossoming tree and another on a building, neither of which are clearly visible to a motorist entering the private car park, which is also a through road.
“It is clear that Parking Eye is using an automated system to hound residents through the County Court, only giving up when a motorist requests a hearing with a judge to point out the failings in the scheme.
“This abuse of the County Court process is merely holding up other legitimate claims.”
‘ENTRAPMENT SCHEME’
He has also claimed to have discovered another MK Council parking machine at the other end of the “private” car park.
Mr Baker said: “I was appalled to find Parking Eye had erected a “Private parking” sign on an MK City Council lamp post, adjacent to an MK Council parking ticket machine.
“The “private” car park was immediately adjacent, and looks no different to the vast areas of MK Council parking bays within Central Milton Keynes.
“Parking Eye had clearly set up an entrapment scheme, encouraging residents to purchase an MK Council parking ticket before hitting them with a £100 charge for spending just a few minutes in the ‘private’ car park.”
A Milton Keynes City Council spokesperson said: “If we receive reports of unlawful practice, we investigate and take action like we already have done in this case.
“We will investigate further to see if the matter has been resolved.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Parkingeye said that the car park is private land and reserved only for Tenpin customers.
They said: “An Automatic Number Plate Recognition car park management system works where a camera detects a vehicle registration entering and leaving a car park.
“ANPR technology is designed to ensure that a parking charge will only be issued when the rules of the car park have been broken, such as the correct tariff hasn’t been paid or they’ve overstayed.
“The car park at Tenpin in Milton Keynes is private land and has clear, prominent and fully-compliant signage at both entrances and throughout.”
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The spokesperson added: “There are a total of 11 signs positioned throughout the car park for maximum visibility, advising that the car park is for customers only.
“The signage informs customers of Tenpin that they should enter their vehicle details in the terminal at reception to receive 12 hours free parking. “
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Jonathan Rose
