Locked out motorist blasts lack of signs
A 66-YEAR-OLD motorist has blasted the lack of signage in a town centre car park after he was locked out of the site and unable to get to his car.
Rodney Whitworth said there were no notices inside or outside the Charter Square underground car park informing users of its closing time.
The Walsham-le-Willows resident was locked out of the facility at 11.15pm on Friday after assuming he would be able to stay there late in the evening.
His car was eventually freed about 25 minutes later after he called security guards.
Mr Whitworth said: “In the grand scheme of things it is actually very minor but my God does it make one angry when one is prevented from getting to one’s car. Basically, the council impounded my car without my knowledge or consent purely on the basis of no informative signs.”
The former artisan cheesemaker entered the car park at 4.15pm, bought a ticket to take him through to 6pm and paid an additional overnight charge.
When he returned to find the site locked up, he called the police who advised him to phone ‘directory enquiries’ before spotting a contact number for a security firm at the entrance and exit ramps.
A sign behind the ticket machines which advises users of the closing times has been covered up by a yellow sticker.
A council spokeswoman admitted the signage could be improved and confirmed that the security company had been called out to let five people into the car park in the last year.
She said: “We are sorry that this gentleman had difficulties getting back to his car. We have investigated his points about the car park closing time sign and agree that we can improve it.”
She added that the site’s gate closed at 6pm while the pedestrian access closed an hour later. If there was an event at the Apex or arc, it closed an hour after the event has finished.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
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