Unsuspecting motorist clamped after fee 'hiked with no notice'

A Navan woman who waited over two hours for her car to be released after paying a fee to a clamping company claims there were no signs in the car park to indicate the correct fee for parking there. Margaret Henry says she felt vulnerable, helpless and alone in a derelict, deserted area as she waited for her car to be released last week. She explained that she had been walking from the Johnstown side of town to work each day, but on wet days, she had been parking in a small private car park at the rear of the vegetable shop at Cannon Row, but she had only been using it two to three days a week, depending on weather, as she needed to leave home in the morning a lot earlier to get a spot in it. "It cost €2 to park for the day when I went there first. It appears in the last two weeks, the price went up to €3, but I didn't know this, as there are no signs displayed anywhere at all as to what the daily price is. In fact, there are no signs anywhere at all in this car park about charges," she added. Last Wednesday, after work, she found her car had been clamped. "I got such a shock as I had paid and displayed my daily ticket as usual. I was the only car clamped," she recalled. She rang Nationwide Controlled Parking Systems (NCPS), whose stickers were all over her car and the company immediately asked for her credit card number. She knew from hearing other people's experiences there was no point in arguing with them, so she gave the number and paid €125. She made the payment at 5.30pm and when she rang them again at 6pm to see why the car wasn't released, she was told they always release cars within one hour. It was at that stage she discovered the price had gone up. "The price had gone up from €2 to €3 without any notice. As I don't use that car park every day, I didn't notice as there were no signs and the parking machine took my money as usual and printed my ticket," she said. By 6.50pm, NCPS had not arrived and she was getting upset. "I felt alone - this part of the town is very quiet. The car park was deserted. It is just a small yard surrounded by derelict buildings and some small houses at the back. "I was really upset and felt vulnerable and alone in a deserted car park. Everyone was gone home, the town was empty at this stage and I was tired after a long day at work," she added. She went to the garda station to make an official complaint. The gardai were sympathetic and said the car park should have clear signs displaying the daily charges. At 7.30pm, the NCPS van arrived from Dublin and released her car and she went home. "I was made feel like a criminal and it absolutely wrecked my day. I felt vulnerable and helpless and my freedom was taken away from me - all for €1," said Ms Henry. "I could understand if I double parked - or parked in a freeway or loading bay, or if I parked in Dawson Street in Dublin with no ticket. But this was a tiny yard in the quietest part of Navan which holds about 16 cars - a deserted derelict area - and I got clamped and was left there alone, well into the evening. "I feel strongly that this practice cannot be allowed to go on - it is simply wrong," she added. Ms Henry has appealed the decision and said she has been in contact with her solicitor and the gardai about the matter. A spokesperson for NCPS advised her to submit an appeal through the appeals process.