[Article] Pay and Display on the way

[Mark Gleeson]

Arrived into Thurles over Christmas and to my surprise NCPS have arrived and pay parking is in place since December 8th (nice date to pick given traditional travel patterns :mad: )

The town side car park was redone recently but the Semple Stadium side is still as it was, don't think there is any CCTV

Curiously Irish Rail never mentioned Thurles, its not listed on the website either

[tigger1962]

looks like We'll have to use the car park... local residents are now threatening people who park outside houses.. one person was told that the resident would set fire to the car if they parked there again another came back to find the car damaged with scratches... no wonder Dundalk is known as El Paso...

[roamling]

At Rush and Lusk car park lots of cars are parked outside the car park now, that means on the footpath, at the edge of fields and so one. I wonder how long this will go one before NCPS puts a ticket machine there or the local authorities will step in. In general its a mess because all NCPS cares about is the money they collect. There is no service they provide, for example monitoring the car park and keep the parking in order (I am lucky to get there in the morning and I can pick a space were I wont be parked in in the afternoon).

The other thing is that there is no option to pay with a credit card, even this is mentioned on the signs highlighting the so called "terms and conditions". I rang NCPS some months ago - all I got was "it will come soon". So I have to keep a set of coins at all times which is a joke. And of course Irish Rail takes no responsibility in all that...

[Colm Moore]

The other thing is that there is no option to pay with a credit card, Is paying €2 meaningful with a credit card?

[Thomas Ralph]

Maybe not, but €8 probably is. And it's available at most other stations.

[roamling]

Maybe not, but €8 probably is. And it's available at most other stations.

agree, thats what I was referring to. I should be able to use my credit card. If I don't have enough coins I need to go for the more expensive option of €2 a day or in case I don't have any coins then ... trouble.

I also think that if NCPS insist on us following all the rules for the parking they should provide all the services they promise on the "terms of use" board (Nobody can clamp them for not providing a service but we get clamped for not paying... UNFAIR!)

[Thomas Ralph]

If NCPS doesn't abide by the terms of the contract, you can sue them for the return of your €2 per day.

[roamling]

If NCPS doesn't abide by the terms of the contract, you can sue them for the return of your €2 per day.

I would love to ... seriously... I think this might be a breach of contract (unless they change the sign stating the terms of use... further input on that is appreciated). I think this whole park and display issue is a total disaster for Irish Rail. They get the lower end of the revenue and all the bad publicity.

[Mark Gleeson]

I'm sure they have themselves covered since the credit card is a 3rd party provided service for which they cannot be held responsible for

[roamling]

some update on that: credit card payment is available in Rush/Lusk now

[Standing Passenger]

Not sure if there another thread on which I should post this but....Carparks at rail stations seem to discourage overnight parking. From my perspective it seems one can only purchase a single days parking or an €8 weekly ticket. Having purchased a day return ticket recently for a trip from Kildare to Galway I found I needed to stay overnight but remembering I'd have no ticket on the car on Day 2 feared being clamped so cut short my visit. I know I could have phoned a friend to put a new ticket on but it just was not that simple at the time. In any event are these carparks monitored for safety during overnight parking. Parking should be an optional extra in the cost of the rail ticket as is the case with LUAS. As an aside its a pity that the overall experience of railtravel is becoming less friendly and slightly aggressive ie. instructions in carparks to "PARK FACING FENCE" - new arrangements at Heuston where all passengers are herded in front of the departure screens waiting for the magic platform number to appear with ten minutes to go and then the herd racing towards the train - while in a recent instance the actual train was standing on the platform for the previous 30 minutes.

[Colm Moore]

instructions in carparks to "PARK FACING FENCE" People should always park so that they do NOT reverse into the aisle. To do otherwise may be in breach of the Road Traffic Acts.

Where is this?

[roamling]

some update on that: credit card payment is available in Rush/Lusk now

but none of them works... I was going to get my weekly (30€) parking ticket with the credit card today (after coming back from my well deserved holiday) and I got reminded that things are not that easy with IrishRail in these days. The credit card reader was not working on the machines that have them.
I was lucky to find a 2€ coin in my pockets... otherwise what? leave the car without a ticket or bring it home and walk back to the train station, be late at work... tommorow i walk to the train station (have to get up 20mins earlier)

The amount of stress this parking(machine) fee nonsense is causing me is well out of proportion. If the machine would take at least notes... seriously, who is keeping 15 x 2€ coins (or even worse 30 x 1€ coins) :confused:

[ThomasJ]

From Drogheda Independent
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/commuter-clamped-despite-having-valid-parking-ticket-1857657.html



By Fiona MAGENNIS


Wednesday August 12 2009

A LOCAL commuter has hit out at Iarnrod Eireann after her car was clamped at Drogheda Train Station - despite the fact she had a valid parking ticket which she claims was clearly visible.

Fiona McDonnell, who commutes each day to her job in Howth Junction, paid for her parking ticket as normal last Wednesday and left it on the dashboard.

However, Fiona said the ticket must have blown off the dashboard as she closed the car door but was still clearly visible on the passenger seat.

Despite this, when she arrived home on Wednesday evening her car was clamped and she was forced to pay € 125 to have it unclamped by the private company employed by IE to patrol the carpark.

'When I phoned up about it I was told the ticket is void if it is not on the dashbboard yet it doesn't say that at the paystation and there is no sticky back on it to ensure it stays where it is placed.

'I cannot afford to have an extra € 125 on my credit card as you can imagine, especially when I already pay almost € 200 a month to use the train and a further € 32 to use the carpark facilities.' Fiona said she took her own photos of the car after it was clamped which clearly show the ticket was in full view at the time.

'They told me I can appeal the decision but I have spoken to a number of people who have had a similar experience to mine, appealed the decision and received a standard response to say their appeal had failed. I haven't spoken to anyone who managed to get their money back,' she said.

When contacted by the Drogheda Independent, NCPS would not comment on the incident.

Barry Kenny of Iarnrod Eireann said the onus was on each individual when leaving their car to make sure the ticket was clearly visible on the dashboard.

'I don't think it is reasonable to ask the parking attendants to go searching for a ticket that has blown off the dashboard,' he said. 'How many cars are parked there? They can't go searching for a ticket.

'People should be more than capable of closing the door and checking the ticket is on the dashboard, it isn't that onerous a task.'

Mr Kenny also claimed it would not be economically viable for Iarnrod Eireann to monitor the carpark themselves.

'They are a specialist parking management company and they do the job very well,' he said. 'It is far more efficient to go with NCPS than to set up an operation ourselves.'

- Fiona MAGENNIS

[Mark Hennessy]

The all caring approach from Barry Kenny is re-assuring isn't it?

Here's a hint Barry, you employ NCPS, i.e tax payers monies given to Irish Rail are then given to NCPS for a professional car parking service.

If these lads can't accept evidence that valid tickets were accidentally misplaced then that isn't professional, it leads to further frustrations and bad PR for you.

If NCPS are doing a crap job and giving Irish Rail more warranted bad PR, get them to do their job professionally or replace them.

[ThomasJ]

Nice to know as well that even though the passengers are paying for the car park there is no security in the carpark in sallins... but there is clampers of course! :rolleyes:

http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showthread.php?p=48067#post48067

[Thomas Ralph]

I have to say the Veolia car parks (where you pay for a space by number) are done much better.

[roamling]

I wonder what will happen when the annual tickets run out. I think some people will drop the train, and thats NOT good!!

I have an annual ticket, but why should I pay for parking when the train station is in the the middle of nowhere (Rush/Lusk) and the car is the only way to get there for most people? Its like a laugh in the face by IR. Walking to the train station takes about 25 mins. Most of the time I DO walk because i DO NOT support the parking charges, but recently I DID use the car to work on some days (when its raining cats and dogs) just because it was more convenient...

you get the idea...

Note: I am a strong supporter of public transport and I DO NOT advertise the use of the car, but with the parking charges I feel I have a valid point to make ;)

[roamling]

would it not be easier that IE employs a policy were if there is no parking ticket the company, NCPS in this case, leaves a note on the car asking you to ring them and pay the ticket plus a small fine (€20) for not getting a ticket in the first place. If you had a valid ticket and it was not displayed properly the claim can be settled after providing proof.

This would a reasonable way of dealing with this, instead of clamping cars like there is no tomorrow.

[Thomas Ralph]

No clamp means that the car can leave and the note gets stuffed in the bin.

However, most cars in Kent Station Cork that don't display a ticket get a polite note requesting they pay the attendant on their return. I've only once seen a vehicle clamped there.

[Colm Moore]

would it not be easier that IE employs a policy were if there is no parking ticket the company, NCPS in this case, leaves a note on the car asking you to ring them and pay the ticket plus a small fine (€20) for not getting a ticket in the first place. If you had a valid ticket and it was not displayed properly the claim can be settled after providing proof.

This would a reasonable way of dealing with this, instead of clamping cars like there is no tomorrow.
But you could just get a ticket from your friend who parked int eh car park at the same time as you.

Park by numbers seems to have merit.

[roamling]

But you could just get a ticket from your friend who parked int eh car park at the same time as you.

Park by numbers seems to have merit.

you got a point, but parking by numbers only works if there are enough spaces and if the parking lot has an attendant who looks after the whole thing. If there is no attendant what happens if somebody else parks on your space?

[Colm Moore]

I presume it isn't a problem at Luas P&R sites.

Of course, park by numbers only really applies to daily tickets - everyone else will need a piece of Blu-Tac.

[MaryK]

The ticket not being displayed has happened to me recently in Kent Station in Cork. I placed my ticket on my dashboard, locked up and went to the train and it was only when I returned in the evening that I noticed that it had blown over and was upside down on the dash, which must have happened when I was locking up the car.

Paying for parking at the station is an additional cost to the cost of the rail ticket. Costs in Kent have gone from €6 in May 2007 to €6 later in the year to €7 euro in June 2009. A 40 % increase over 24 months is not good value for money at all.

New ticket machines have been installed in Kent this summer and to pay for a 1 day ticket with a credit card means punching in 50 c one by one to reach the €7 euro total. Not fun at 6 am when there is a crowd building behind you and not much time until the train goes and you have to press a button 14 times to get the correct fare. Plus not all ticket machines now take credit cards. I can only look forward to doing this in the dark in the winter, when I have often thought about bringing a flashlight along so I can see what I am doing at the ticket machine.

[Thomas Ralph]

The ticket not being displayed has happened to me recently in Kent Station in Cork. I placed my ticket on my dashboard, locked up and went to the train and it was only when I returned in the evening that I noticed that it had blown over and was upside down on the dash, which must have happened when I was locking up the car.

But at least you didn't get clamped...

[ThomasJ]

If ever there was an example of un-userfriendliness

You buy a ticket, if its weekly you are not guaranteed a space, tickets dont have a sticky back to place on car and if your ticket blows over or falls out of place (even if it still can be viewed from elsewhere) the ticket is null and void and you risk having to pay €125?

A complete and utter mess!!

If ever there was a case for an ombudsman ....

[Thomas Ralph]

I imagine someone could have a good case in small claims court, but that's where it would have to go. The European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations, 1995 might be relevant.

[roamling]

I imagine someone could have a good case in small claims court...

Interesting you mention that, I have heard other people talking about going that way.

And what about the fact the the clamping charge is €125 but on IE notice boards explaining the terms and conditions for parking it says €120 if clamped?

[ThomasJ]

I imagine someone could have a good case in small claims court, but that's where it would have to go. The European Communities (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts) Regulations, 1995 might be relevant.

Just one question... does the ticket show the date and time the ticket was printed?

[Thomas Ralph]

It's €120 for cash. There's a €5 charge for credit cards, which ought to have been prohibited by s. 48 Consumer Protection Act 2007, but Mary Coughlan, in her infinite wisdom, hasn't commenced that section. Legally speaking NCP isn't required to accept anything other than cash in euro (s. 6 Economic and Monetary Union Act 1998), so if it chooses to accept an alternative payment method, it's on whatever terms you agree with it.

[Thomas Ralph]

Just one question... does the ticket show the date and time the ticket was printed?

The last one I saw did.

[Thomas Ralph]

New ticket machines have been installed in Kent this summer and to pay for a 1 day ticket with a credit card means punching in 50 c one by one to reach the €7 euro total. Not fun at 6 am when there is a crowd building behind you and not much time until the train goes and you have to press a button 14 times to get the correct fare. Plus not all ticket machines now take credit cards. I can only look forward to doing this in the dark in the winter, when I have often thought about bringing a flashlight along so I can see what I am doing at the ticket machine.

You can pay in notes at the hut next to the car park entrance, the attendant will write out a ticket for you.