Wood Green Shopping Centre - BOGUS PARKING TICKETS!!!!

[francar]

Last week with 2 screaming toddlers I drove through the car park at Wood Green Shopping Centre and saw an area clearly marked in green with a 'buggy' emblem in the designated parking spaces. As I would be paying to park there I presumed this was the suggested place to park if you had a pram etc. Excellent! I bundled my screaming brats into the pram and hurtled towards the shops presuming I could shop without having to worry about parking tickets.
WRONG!!!! I returned to a parking ticket by a company named UKPC, a fine for £90 but only £40 if paid within 14 days.

Today I googled the company and they apparently have no right to these fines and the whole process is bogus. What I want to know is why is Haringey Council allowing these crooks to swindle millions out of stressed out and already financially pressed mums in our area.

I am writing to Haringey Councillor Monica Whyte to see what can be done to stop this scandal - but cannot believe it is going on in the first place.

If anyone else has any contacts to try and rectify this - please do! I am furious at the thought of all the mums who are being caught out by this!

Hi Francar

I completely understand your frustration at receiving a ticket but there are numerous notices in the car park and lift by pay machines stating that these spaces are for those who have a valid permit. Even when you get in the lift to go down into the shopping centre it talks to you stating that you will get a ticket if you park in the green and purple spaces without a valid permit. I have a permit for the parent parking spaces and I think it is a good idea that you need a permit to park there. I had to provide my babies red book and I.D as proof that I had a child to obtain the permit.

Many a time I have gone to shop in Morrisons who also have parent car parking spaces for the car in front to pull into one of these spaces even though they have no children. Unfortunately not everybody abides by the rules that you must have children to park in these types of spaces which is why I believe wood green shopping centre requires you to have a permit. I don't think they a trying to rip unsuspecting drivers off they are just trying to ensure that legitimate people people park in these spaces. On the whole I think they are trying to make parking more convenient for "real" parents who want to shop in wood green. I have to acknowledge that it has been so convenient since I got a permit as I always get a space when I enter that car park and do not have to drive around looking for one.

I am sorry that you got a ticket and didn't see the signs but trust me there are lots of signs in numerous places stating this but I can imagine with two screaming toddlers you were just grateful just to get a space and get out the car.