Sir, – After a long day at work, I have returned to Sallins train station to find my car clamped. It transpired that in my rush to catch yesterday morning’s train, I paid for only one day’s parking rather than the intended two. As a consequence of my swiping error on Parkbytext, I must pay €125 for the privilege of waiting in my car for up to two hours for the clamp to be released. I assume a significant proportion of the sum I have paid to NCPS is a call-out charge to have the clamp released.
Surely an e-clamping system would be fairer? In this instance my car would not be physically clamped and I would receive a notice to pay my penalty fee by midnight (along the lines of the M50 tolling system). If I didn’t pay the fine on time, it would increase each day the fee remained unpaid.
By removing the physical clamping of a car, I would not have to wait by my car for two hours on a September evening and the expense of the penalty would be reduced by removing the need for a call-out.
Is it really fair that by missing a €3.50 daily parking fee, I should be penalised 36 times that amount and spend a Tuesday evening in my car? – Yours, etc,
BARRY KENNEDY,
Carragh,
Co Kildare.