Madam,

I have experienced an identical situation with ‘Parking Eye’ to a recent letter in your newspaper (‘Complaints to police and trading standards over Parking Eye’, 5 May).

This involves Parking Eye claiming I parked at the Rheidol Retail Park in Aberystwyth overnight, a total of 19 hours. I am a local resident and lucky enough to have a parking bay on my property in Aberystwyth and I am well aware of the stringent two-hour criteria employed by the company and therefore would not have left my car in this situation. The only evidence they will supply is a photo of my car and number plate arriving on 2 January and leaving on 3 January. I have explained to them in two letters that I was at the retail park separately on both those dates but only for approximately 30 minutes each time. They have never replied to my letters but just serve further parking notices and state that the money needs to be paid or else!

I approached Citizens Advice and a solicitor to act on my behalf but have had no success. Parking Eye continue with their action and will not show any photographic evidence of my car sitting in the car park in the early hours of the morning. Either the company has a technical problem with their cameras or possibly human error in interpreting the evidence; or if neither this is plain extortion. The official advice now given is I should pay up to avoid further personal expense. Even if I went to the small claims court and won I could not claim my court costs against Parking Eye; obviously something they are fully aware of. I write this letter to warn other drivers.

For my part I shall think long and hard about supporting the shops on Rheidol Retail Park as they should not ‘wash their hands’ of responsibility to a company that is doing their bidding.

Yours etc

Elizabeth Edwards

Caradog Road

Aberystwyth.