Dear Sir,
When reading my copy of the Newton News with great interest as I do every week I came across a story that made me so angry I couldn’t help but write a response. I am referring to the letter regarding the Aldi fine received by an Aycliffe citizen. In particular how the readers needed to be informed about the situation.
As far as I can see we don’t need to be informed as there are MANY signs both in the car park and in the store clearly stating that parking is for 1½ hours for Aldi shoppers and it is monitored.
There were also leaflets handed out in the store when it opened and a nice gentleman explaining that this was to be the case and the car park would be monitored to ensure ample parking for shoppers doing food shopping.
As the reader is obviously an Aldi regular who shops there every week I am sure she herself has seen these signs?
The reader quite clearly states she was there for 1 hour and 52 minutes exceeding (by some margin) the allowed time. As she points out there are other car parks you can park in should you wish to run errands in the town and these are free too.
I don’t see how the amount spent in the shop over the previous weeks bears any relevance as to whether the person should or should not pay the fine as the time was exceeded and penalty correctly applied.
I wonder how many people think the signs are just for show and it is fine to park there all day? I’m glad to see they are not and hope that Parking Eye Car Park Management continue to monitor the car park and hand out fines to people abusing the facility to keep the car park free for everyone else.
Emma Linskey
Newton Aycliffe
