A COUPLE have hit out at changes to the car parking at Westbury Railway Station which left them with a big fine.
The couple say the current reduction in parking spaces, due to demolition work, is a way to ‘cash in on pressured commuters’.
Jenny Lowe was left ‘angry, distraught and pounds worse off’ says her partner John Swallow, who approached the White Horse News to explain the situation at Westbury Railway Station. They say the demolition, causing a reduction of space, in an already overused car park, was not advertised.
John explains, “Jenny lives in Frome but uses Westbury Station as it’s the only way for her to commute to work in Bristol because trains from Frome don’t fit in with her childcare and commuting needs.
“On Tuesday 18th September after dropping her son off at school and dashing to Westbury Railway Station, she found 80 car parking spaces had vanished to become part of a builders yard. Unannounced, unadvertised and without any consideration for rail users, regular or occasional!
“Jenny had important work in Bristol and informed the station staff that she had parked on double yellow lines out of urgent necessity. The member of staff showed concern and a degree of exasperation at the ridiculous situation in the car park.
“Jenny then rang me in floods of tears later in the day telling me she had a parking ticket from GWRs (Great Western Railway) parking control agent, APCOA. If there had been warnings or alternative provision and notice of the reduction in capacity, it would have been understandable.
“This is an appalling situation and shows a callous disregard for customers. No doubt as a private parking contractor APCOA is using this as an opportunity to cash in on pressured commuters who have trains to catch. Greedy vultures springs to mind!”
Jenny told White Horse News, “I can fully understand the need for enforcement, but this is private land and the markings and signage across the car park as a whole is inconsistent and in a poor state in places. Whilst I can accept that the yellow lines in question are clearly visible, I question their purpose when this part of the car park is clearly more spacious than the other side.
“I was far enough from the corner and opposite parked cars to cause no issue to anyone. I attempted to find an alternative, but GWR have clearly not accounted for dealing with this foreseeable issue. It seems to me that GWR could have foreseen and made better provision, and APCOA are just being greedy, making money out of a compromised situation.
“I expect they are out checking the car park far more regularly during these works than when there is sufficient capacity under normal running.”
A GWR spokesperson said, “We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst we are expanding the car park at Westbury Station.
“To enable the work, there is a small temporary reduction in the number of available parking spaces; however once the work is complete in December this year, the station will have around a total of 400.
“There are posters up at the station advertising the work, and we would like to remind customers that it is the car owner’s responsibility that they are parking both safely and legally.”
