Drivers let off new car park charges for day

DRIVERS who failed to pay new tariffs at Henley’s car parks on the day they were introduced will not be fined.

South Oxfordshire District Council gave the pledge after drivers complained they were unable to buy a ticket or were shortchanged.

Charges at the Greys Road and King’s Road car parks increased on Friday from 50p to 60p for one hour, from 80p to £1 for two hours and £1.50 to £1.60 for three hours.

Some drivers complained to the Henley Standard that the signs were still advertising the original prices and that their coins were rejected by the machines at the Greys Road car park.

Adrian Vanheems, of Baskerville Road, Sonning Common, said: “I tried another machine and noticed the small display in the corner said ‘insufficient money’. I put in 60p and it worked but the council notices still say ‘50p’. One irate man told me he would ‘fight it out’ if he got a ticket.



“Another, a young mother, had to put in 80p for the two hours but only got one hour.”

In the Southfields car park the cost of up to five hours has increased from £2.10 to £2.20 and from £3.10 to £3.20 for up to eight hours.

A council spokeswoman said: “Our car parking tariffs went up on Friday and all tariff boards and pay and display machines were updated by late afternoon.

“Car park inspectors were advised not to give tickets to people on Friday if they hadn’t paid the new tariffs.

“We put up laminated signs with the new tariffs in all our car parks two weeks prior as well as advertising in the local press.”