People power

The decision by the operators of Crescent Link Retail Park has been hailed as a victory for ‘people power’.

It follows a period of controversy over tickets being issued to customers who were not correctly parked within white lines.

On Friday, DUP alderman, April Garfield-Smith broke the news on her facebook site.

She posted: “Lisney, the managing agent of Crescent Link Retail Park have sent us the following statement regarding UKPC: ‘over the last few months we have received a number of complaints relating to UKPC’s operation of the car park and following a thorough review we have decided to terminate the contract with the company’.”

Her comments were welcomed as an exanple of what could be achieved by people power.

SDLP Councillor Martin Reilly has also welcomed the news that Lisney, the managing agent of Crescent Link Retail Park in Derry, have announced they are to terminate their contact with UK Parking Control (UKPC) after a litany of complaints by shoppers who were issued with car-parking fines after attending shops in the Waterside retail complex.

Mr Reilly said: “This news goes to show the power that consumer pressure can have – and I am glad that Lisney has seen sense and have responded to the concerns of local shoppers.

“The office of Foyle MP Mark Durkan was contacted by a number of constituents who were rightly annoyed and frustrated that they were spending money – helping our local economy – only to find that when they returned to their vehicles they were fined or ticketed for doing so.

“Often in these circumstances it was because UKPC were being overzealous and showing little common sense or flexibility. “

He said that in one case a parking ticket was issued to a disabled person “who actually did have a legitimate blue badge – but that it simply wasn’t displayed the correct way around.”