Car parking in Inverness

[luskentyre]

Last December I had to visit Inverness to attend an opticians appointment. I ended up parking at the Strothers Lane car park (beside TK Maxx), with barely time to spare for my appointment. When I attempted to get a ticket from the 'pay and display' machine, I noticed it was faulty. There was black tape over the coin slot, but no instructions on how I might otherwise pay. Glancing around, I saw no tickets on any other cars so I assumed that tickets were not necessary for some reason. It was nearing Christmas, perhaps the festive spirit had even spread to car park operators? Naive? Aye probably! Anyway, I hurried to my appointment and on my return I was somewhat surprised to find I had been served a penalty notice. I was now due to pay £60 (or £30 if I paid up quickly).

This car park is operated by Town and City Parking limited. They apparently have an appeals procedure, but they immediately ruled that I was liable because there was another machine in the car park. Having never parked there before, I never knew this, and there was certainly no mention of alternative facilities on the faulty machine (just black tape). I queried this again but they were not prepared to accept any defence. What's more, I had now become liable for the full penalty (£60) because of the time they took to respond! You really have no option with a private firm like this. If you dare to question anything, they'll just threaten to take you to court - and that's exactly what they did threaten.

I had no option but to fork out £60 for a short stay in Strothers Lane, simply because their payment machine was out of order. I'd obviously tried to pay at the time, else I wouldn't have known the machine was faulty. Is this fair? I now know there are plenty of other parking facilities nearby, which have cheaper rates, and are operated by more reasonable organisations. Please, be warned.

[Sairheed]

Might have been cheaper attending one of the local opticians.

[emszxr]

that must have been the same day i was there. i didnt realise about the 2nd ticket machine until someone else in car park said. the 2nd machine has not been there that long i dont think, certainly not from the start of that being used as a car park, as i have used it a few times.
i do belive they should have had a sign on faulty machine to indicate to pay at other machine.

[poppett]

I have had to pay a penalty for parking in that car park without a ticket. I was buying the ticket at the time the warden was writing out the penalty. The time on my ticket was three minutes before the time he put on the notice and on appeal I still had to pay. It`s easier and cheaper to use the supermarket car park and shop to cover the cost of parking there for two hours.

[©Amethyst]

Why not use the park & ride facility that's provided in Inverness during December? It's absolutely free, and a donation to the MFR charity is optional. I think the busses there are every 15 minutes, which is much better than the town service (every 20 minutes, usually).

All other times of the year... try the old safeway car park. That's usually cheap enough, I can't remember though if it's free only for one or two hours. After that, you pay.

[Whitewater]

It may have been to your benefit to let them take you to court, if there was no mention of an alternative machine to pay at, I think you would have had a good case. Particularly, if you took a picture of the damaged one with a mobile phone or camera.

[luskentyre]

It may have been to your benefit to let them take you to court, if there was no mention of an alternative machine to pay at, I think you would have had a good case. Particularly, if you took a picture of the damaged one with a mobile phone or camera.

Well, I took advice from Trading Standards and they didn't think I had much of a case. I'm glad I'm not the only one who think they were unreasonable. I can appreciate a system for penalising people who misuse the facilities, but I think you have to gauge the intent, and I did intend to pay at the time.

Sairheed - I take your point, but I was there for a check-up prior to laser surgery and couldn't have done that up here.

[fraz]

I Have A Disabled Son There Was No Disabled Spaces Left In Strothers Lane So I Used A Normal Space. For My Trouble I Got A Parking Ticket Which I Appealed Against Only For Town And City To Say Three Weeks Later They Hadnt Received It Nice People They Arnt

[johno]

Last December I had to visit Inverness to attend an opticians appointment. I ended up parking at the Strothers Lane car park (beside TK Maxx), with barely time to spare for my appointment. When I attempted to get a ticket from the 'pay and display' machine, I noticed it was faulty. There was black tape over the coin slot, but no instructions on how I might otherwise pay. Glancing around, I saw no tickets on any other cars so I assumed that tickets were not necessary for some reason. It was nearing Christmas, perhaps the festive spirit had even spread to car park operators? Naive? Aye probably! Anyway, I hurried to my appointment and on my return I was somewhat surprised to find I had been served a penalty notice. I was now due to pay £60 (or £30 if I paid up quickly).

This car park is operated by Town and City Parking limited. They apparently have an appeals procedure, but they immediately ruled that I was liable because there was another machine in the car park. Having never parked there before, I never knew this, and there was certainly no mention of alternative facilities on the faulty machine (just black tape). I queried this again but they were not prepared to accept any defence. What's more, I had now become liable for the full penalty (£60) because of the time they took to respond! You really have no option with a private firm like this. If you dare to question anything, they'll just threaten to take you to court - and that's exactly what they did threaten.

I had no option but to fork out £60 for a short stay in Strothers Lane, simply because their payment machine was out of order. I'd obviously tried to pay at the time, else I wouldn't have known the machine was faulty. Is this fair? I now know there are plenty of other parking facilities nearby, which have cheaper rates, and are operated by more reasonable organisations. Please, be warned.
why dont you try the supermarket car parks there are three in the town centre and i think you only have to purchase something from the store.
bound to be cheaper than £30. if your going to inv your bound to be shopping anyway. just a thought.?

[©Amethyst]

why dont you try the supermarket car parks there are three in the town centre and i think you only have to purchase something from the store.
bound to be cheaper than £30. if your going to inv your bound to be shopping anyway. just a thought.?

Morrison's is always packed since it's closer to Eastgate. Parking there, though, does not protect your car the way it would if you were to park say in the Eastgate car parks.

Tesco at Tomnahurich is a quieter car park, but be warned... parking there could be costly. Friend of mine is a security officer in the city center, and the things I've heard come over her radio about that place is awful!

But where, may I ask is the other free supermarket car park?

[Fran]

I was also issued with a penalty notice for parking a car with disabled sign in a non disabled place in the tk max carpark. I appealed against it saying there was no where else to park and no signs. afterall if you dont have to pay you wont be going to the machine so you wont see the signs. I had parked there for many years with no problem. They refused my appeal and upped the cost of the penalty notice and I refused to pay and have said i will go to court about it. It is the principle of the thing. where can disabled people park. the woman with me offerred to pay the fine but i am determined to fight this. Since then there are new signs up at the entrance.

[©Amethyst]

I was also issued with a penalty notice for parking a car with disabled sign in a non disabled place in the tk max carpark. I appealed against it saying there was no where else to park and no signs. afterall if you dont have to pay you wont be going to the machine so you wont see the signs. I had parked there for many years with no problem. They refused my appeal and upped the cost of the penalty notice and I refused to pay and have said i will go to court about it. It is the principle of the thing. where can disabled people park. the woman with me offerred to pay the fine but i am determined to fight this. Since then there are new signs up at the entrance.

It is one of my pet peeves when people who aren't disabled park in disabled spaces! Too many people do it, and get away with it. And it's putting people like yourself down. I think I want to scream, I get so angry when things like this happen.

[luskentyre]

I was also issued with a penalty notice for parking a car with disabled sign in a non disabled place in the tk max carpark. I appealed against it saying there was no where else to park and no signs. afterall if you dont have to pay you wont be going to the machine so you wont see the signs. I had parked there for many years with no problem. They refused my appeal and upped the cost of the penalty notice and I refused to pay and have said i will go to court about it. It is the principle of the thing. where can disabled people park. the woman with me offerred to pay the fine but i am determined to fight this. Since then there are new signs up at the entrance.

Good for you Fran. It seems I'm not the only person who think that Town and City Parking Ltd are less than reasonable (and their "appeal procedure" is nothing but a joke). I'd be interested to know how you get on.

[johno]

Morrison's is always packed since it's closer to Eastgate. Parking there, though, does not protect your car the way it would if you were to park say in the Eastgate car parks.

Tesco at Tomnahurich is a quieter car park, but be warned... parking there could be costly. Friend of mine is a security officer in the city center, and the things I've heard come over her radio about that place is awful!

But where, may I ask is the other free supermarket car park?
now youv,e got me doubting myself. isnt there a safways car park in the back of fairiline park bus station. dont use them myself as i visit a pal thats got got a home not to far from the town centre with his own private car parking. :cool: