Retail park launches parking rule ‘like a spider’s internet’ to catch out drivers | UK | News | EUROtoday

A retail park has been slammed for establishing parking guidelines “like a spider’s web” to catch out drivers.

The Peel Centre in Gloucester has hit dozens of drivers with £100 fines since bringing in stricter parking restrictions on the finish of 2023, with new guidelines which means customers can solely keep for 2 hours and those that stroll off the location are fined even when they’re throughout the time restrict.

One man who acquired a positive on the purchasing space within the metropolis’s St Ann’s Way says he was solely parked for 20 minutes however fined as he walked to the Clarks store on the adjoining Gloucester Quays after ending his purchasing on the Peel Centre.

Phil Stephens, who says he spends a whole bunch of kilos on the website yearly, advised Gloucestershire Live the parking indicators, put up by operators Ocean Parking, weren’t clear sufficient and didn’t clarify that the principles had modified.

He stated: “It is set up like a spider’s web to catch people. It’s so clever of these guys.

“To me it’s reduce and dry, these indicators are usually not clear. There appears to be a view that the signage is solely not match for goal and Ocean Parking are being overzealous.

“I’ve appealed to Ocean Parking who turned it down and have appealed further to Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA).”

Over the Christmas period, Mr Stephens said he spent an hour at the site warning drivers not to walk off as they would be fined despite sticking to the time limit.

He added: “It’s conservative to say that in a busy period there would be a driver a minute ‘abusing’ their conditions. I warned a few, all of whom were oblivious of the ‘don’t leave site’ rule.”

Gloucester City Council chief Richard Cook has now requested a gathering with retail park bosses to debate the problem, saying they need to deal with those that abuse the time restrict.

A spokesman for the retail park’s operator Peel, stated that the retail park is among the few free automotive parks within the metropolis and the choice to limit parking had been “well-received” throughout social media.

He stated the adjustments had been made to make sure that real prospects of the retail park can discover handy areas.

Ocean Parking has not responded to Gloucester Live’s request for remark.