Outraged Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser joined dozens of constituents who have been wrongly fined for not paying parking charges at the Perth City Centre Kinnoull Street Car Park. Trading standards are now involved and Murdo is calling for the old system to be reintroduced.
Private Parking firm Smart Pay scrapped traditional meters in favour of a new system which requires motorists to enter their registration plate which is then cross-checked with a number plate recognition system upon entry and exit.
Drivers have described the new smart pay system at the Kinnoull Street parking lot as fiendishly complicated and prone to errors. Councillor Alexander Stewart has received in the region of 40 complaints from disgruntled drivers and said the confusion could jeopardise Perth’s economy.
Now Murdo Fraser has been hit with a £60 charge, despite paying the correct sum for parking, and leaving within the allocated time.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“Both Alexander Stewart and I have been inundated with complaints from motorists who have been wrongly fined for failing to pay parking charges at the Kinnoull Street car park.
“I am a regular user of the car park myself, and always take care to enter my details correctly and pay the correct sum.
“Imagine my fury, then, to receive a £60 fine from these jokers at Smart Pay – a misnamed company if ever there were one.
“The new smart pay system clearly has some kinks and until these are worked out city centre businesses will be hit as motorists boycott the area.
“As one of the biggest city centre car parks, Kinnoull Street has a responsibility to provide simple, affordable and hassle free parking. High-streets up and down the country are struggling to compete with out-of-town shopping malls and parking problems are at the centre of this.
“I am fully behind Alexander’s campaign against these rogues at Smart Pay, and today I am calling for the reintroduction of pay and display meters until Smart Pay can guarantee that motorists won’t be stung by incorrect parking charges.”
Councillor Alexander Stewart and Scottish Conservative Candidate in Perth and North Perthshire said;
“This is causing real anxiety among residents and visitors alike because people now feel uncomfortable using the car park in case they do receive a penalty whilst others who have received one or more penalties are now boycotting it, which could have an impact on the city centre economy.
“Today I am joining with Murdo in calling for Smart Pay to bring back pay and display meters until they make the new system more user friendly.”