Stoke on Trent Station Car Park 3

M271

I picked up my son from Stoke on Trent Railway Station last week the first time which I have used the car park. The car park has barriers to enter and exit and you collect a ticket on entry, the charges are £8 for the day before 10.00 am and £4 for the day after 10.00 am, but before I went to collect him I read online (not official) that there is a 15 minute free period to pick up or drop off, I was only in the car park for less than 5 minutes and when I left the car park I put the ticket in the exit barrier and it lifted OK and let me out. However since then I have also read on a forum that the ticket has to be validated in the pay station whether you have to pay or not. Now I am concerned that even though the barrier let me out I should have used the pay station and am at risk of getting at Penalty Charge Notice.
Has anyone else done similar to I did and did they get a Penalty Charge Notice?
P.S. It seems ridiculous that there isn't a pick up or drop off zone within the car park, or you have to pay for the day whether you stay for 20 mins or all day.

catfunt

What date was the parking event?

M271

catfunt wrote: »

What date was the parking event?

Last Wednesday.

M271

.... and as a general point do people think that an exit barrier would rise with a ticket to let a car out if the ticket had not been correctly paid at the pay station?

The_Deep

.... and as a general point do people think that an exit barrier would rise with a ticket to let a car out if the ticket had not been correctly paid at the pay station?


Not me.

Quentin

It looks like the car park is run by virgin, who look to be a little different in their approach to their customers compared with some.


eg. Payment at Stoke station (run by Virgin) is set out on the Virgin web site for Stoke Station:

You can pay with notes, coins or one of the following payments types:


Credit Cards + Debit Cards


Please note buttons, gold and fluff are not accepted.

M271

The_Deep wrote: »

.... and as a general point do people think that an exit barrier would rise with a ticket to let a car out if the ticket had not been correctly paid at the pay station?


Not me.

I'd have thought not as well, but they may take an image of your number plate and let you out without paying to serve you a Penalty Notice for far more than the parking cost, or am I just being cynical?