[Article] Pay and Display on the way

[roamling]

Originally Posted by 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)

[ThomasJ]

From Drogheda Independent
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/n...t-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!

http://www.railusers.ie/forum/showth...8067#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.