Milton Keynes Car Parking Partnership Office Sucks
I really don’t like the way that car parking management is handled in Milton Keynes.
I have worked in Milton Keynes for 4 years now and have paid (I think) £235 per year to park my car in a public car park outside of my office. This year it has gone up to £270 (more if you live outside of Milton Keynes). For that I am not guaranteed a parking place and there have been times where I have not been able to get one within a 5 minute walk of my office.
I have been fined £30 on each of these occasions:
- They wrote my car registration wrong on my ticket (got 2 letters the wrong way around). This was not noticed for 6 months, then one day I got fined
- I wrote 2 letters of complaint but did not hear anything back by post/e-mail/telephone (is it illegal to ignore challenges to appeals?)
- I took my car in to get serviced and had a hire car. Out of habit I walked from my hire car to the office without paying for a parking ticket
- I wrote them a letter and they replied to say ‘tough’
- I have twice forgotten to renew (they don’t send reminders). My fault I know, but I think they should give a reminder or warning first (with 5 days to pay)
- I appealed once but they said ‘tough’
The really bad things are:
- The parking ticket does not say that you can pay on-line, but you can
- They do not always reply to letters or e-mails
- You can’t order a new parking permit on-line
- You can order a parking permit via the post, but it takes up to 10 days – and they still have to phone you for the credit card payment
- To get a parking permit quickly, you have to visit their office in Central Milton Keynes (which is only open from 0900 – 1700) and in the past it has generally taken 1 hour (queueing)
So tomorrow I will have to:
- Pay for a parking ticket so that I can park outside my office. I will have to do this by mobile phone as I haven’t got change available
- Walk to the council office and buy a 1 year parking permit at £270…
Next time you see a car parking attendant, ask them: What are you? Some bottom-feeding, scum sucking algae eater? 
January 29th, 2010 at 22:26
Update:
I went there at lunchtime, spoke to a mean lady in the downstairs reception who told me to go the upstairs reception.
So I went upstairs and spoke with another lady (a nice one this time) who took my name and asked me to take a seat. Anticipating the usual, I asked how long it was going to take and she surprised me by saying that I was the only one in the queue…
So I sat down, then my name was immediately called on the automated tannoy system. So I stood up and made my way to the bank of desks.
I looked for desk 26 but the directions to it were not clear. I looked to my right and there was a lady at desk 26, waving at me and calling my name – she called “Mr. Richardson”, not “Paul”, “oi”, “mate” or “geezer” which was a good start (we hadn’t reached Luton depths yet).
Then I sat down and asked for my car parking ticked to be revoked (knowing that she would say no)… She said no. Then she said that it wasn’t even an MK given fine so I couldn’t even pay it there
Then she gave me my ticket (once I had paid £270 – ouch) and I was outta there!
At least the process was quick and painless this time.
Oh and I discovered the Pret a Manger Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad (http://www.pret.com/menu/sushi_salads_soups/3842.shtm) which is truly delicious!
February 18th, 2010 at 22:33
Result! I got a letter back this week saying that I didn’t have to pay this time.
I think it’s because it was the Northampton office and not the Milton Keynes office, so they didn’t already have my details on record.