Stephen Metcalfe & John Baron put 10 Requests to Smart Parking CEO to resolve Basildon Westgate Car Park Concerns

Basildon MPs Stephen Metcalfe and John Baron have met Smart Parking in Parliament over the Westgate Shopping Centre car park. They put their concerns to Smart Parking’s Chief Executive and made 10 requests aimed at resolving constituents’ grievances and improve fairness and practice in the future:

Basildon MPs 10 Requests to Smart Parking:

1. Extend the parking grace period
2. Improve signage
3. Don’t charge drop-offs or Taxis
4. Increase the flexibility for charge appeals
5. Clarify the overnight tariff
6. Ensure all payments received from incorrectly issued PCNs are refunded
7. Establish procedure for the elderly and disabled
8. Fix ticketing machines
9. End charge escalations during appeals
10. Refund charges from 26th July 2018 until the implementation of the last BPA recommendation following investigation

Both Stephen Metcalfe and John Baron have received scores of complaints directly and more than 4.5 thousand people have now joined a Facebook group created by local people concerned about parking operation problems at Westgate since September.

Stephen Metcalfe said: “I, along with my neighbour John Baron MP, remain concerned about the parking operation which continues to damage the reputation of Westgate shopping centre in Basildon.

However, having now met the Chief Executive of Smart Parking along with John Baron, I feel they are now engaging constructively with the many serious concerns people have.”

John Baron said: “Discussions in Parliament were frank and wide-ranging. I am hopeful that Smart Parking’s continued constructive engagement will see an agreeable resolution to the many issues raised by constituents.”