LNER now rinsing car drivers with their long stay parking charges?

[ainsworth74]

Before everyone starting laughing and saying "they always have!" the reason I'm starting this thread is it feels like the level of those charges has increased significantly compared to what it was pre-pandemic. A lot of the headline figures have fallen, at least at Darlington, with the off-peak rate now being £5 for the day (£7 previously I believe), the "Long Weekend" being £12 rather than £18. But there seems to have been subtle changes to the terms and conditions which now really punish anyone staying for longer than one day or just missing out on the criteria for the "Long Weekend".

For instance I had a stay from Friday around 0845 until Sunday 1700 which previously would have been £18 (the Long Weekend) but which was £29 because my stay no longer qualified as it's only for people parking between 1000 on Friday and 1400 on Monday whereas before it applied from anytime on Friday to anytime on Monday (or at least I'm fairly sure it did anyway!). The other change appears to be that if you stay beyond the end of the railway day at 0429 (or around then anyway) you're now charged the full £12 even if your parking session started in the off-peak. So if you arrive at say 1700 on Tuesday and leave on Wednesday at 1800 you'll be charged £24. Previously this would have been, as far as I recall an off-peak charge for the Tuesday (£7) and then a peak time charge for the Wednesday (£11) for a total of £18. This is also the reason my stay over the weekend was so much, previously both Saturday and Sunday would have been charged as off-peak (with Friday being peak due to my arrival time) whereas now because I stayed all day Saturday that was charged at £12 even though If I'd rocked up at 0430 on Saturday and left at 0425 on Sunday it would have been £5!

Have to say that it feels like they've lowered the headline charges for some things (the off-peak and Long Weekend) but have changed the underpinning rules to absolute rinse anyone who tries to use the carpark for longer than one day. Pretty disappointing in my view as, whilst I didn't used to object to the parking charges as you were paying a premium for the convenience, having a good road surface, CCTV monitoring, lights and machines that take cash and card*, the only change I can see is that LNER now have fancier parking machines (ANPR included!). I don't see any other reason for them to have, in my view stealthily, jacked up the prices on those staying longer than one day or whose weekend away doesn't fit much tighter criteria!

Not really sure this is the best way to encourage people back to the railway as I can't help but suspect once stung they may just drive next time...

*I have no objection to paying a premium for parking when the provider is actually making an effort which in the facilities at Darlington they always have!

 

[Wallsendmag]

I was under the impression it had always been after 1000 on a Friday. The peak off peak rules haven’t changed either you had to depart before 0429 to get the off peak price

 

[ainsworth74]

I was under the impression it had always been after 1000 on a Friday

Hmm perhaps but the change to the Monday is definitely quite significant (and I'm still relative sure I've had some early starts on a Friday but only got charged for a Long Weekend on return).

The peak off peak rules haven’t changed either you had to depart before 0429 to get the off peak price

I've definitely had Saturday to Sunday parking sessions that were charged at off-peak prices (i.e. £14 when off-peak was £7 per day).

 

[Haywain]

I was under the impression it had always been after 1000 on a Friday.

It was after 0930 on a Friday, through to the end of Monday at the long weekend rate of £14.00.

 

[ainsworth74]

I have tracked down a sign from some point during VTEC's tenure and that confirms that the Long Weekend was valid anytime on Friday but does back up what @Wallsendmag said about being charged the full whack if staying over night. Which is odd as I remember a) definitely only being charged £14 for a Saturday to Sunday stay and b) asking for a Long Weekend on a Saturday morning and the ticket office double checking I was coming back on Monday not Sunday as otherwise it would be cheaper to pay on departure! So whether that was a programming error that lasted so long that ticket office staff started treating at the rules I don't know. But certainly my overnight parking has rocketed in cost since the pandemic so clearly something has changed considering the basic prices have either decreased or only gone up by 50p.

But in any event the Long Weekend has become much more restricted going from anytime on Friday until 2359 Monday to after 1000 on Friday and before 1400 on Monday.

 

[Haywain]

I remember a) definitely only being charged £14 for a Saturday to Sunday stay

That's twice the rate shown in the picture for one day at the weekend. And the rates charged by VTEC certainly rose (with added restrictions) before the franchise was lost and LNER came into being.

 

[greyman42]

I know that York station car park dropped its hefty charges during the pandemic but i have not noticed if they have put them back to pre-pandemic prices?

 

[ainsworth74]

That's twice the rate shown in the picture for one day at the weekend. And the rates charged by VTEC certainly rose (with added restrictions) before the franchise was lost and LNER came into being.

Sorry to be clear that was an arrive on Saturday morning and leave on Sunday. Two days parking charged at £14.

Whilst things certainly got more expensive during VTECs time it was never to the extent that I was left shocked at how much the bill came to like I have been by several recent stays. Hence the thread!

 

[Haywain]

Sorry to be clear that was an arrive on Saturday morning and leave on Sunday. Two days parking charged at £14.

Yes, charged for 2 days at £7 per day, which was the weekend daily rate.

 

[bramling]

Sorry to be clear that was an arrive on Saturday morning and leave on Sunday. Two days parking charged at £14.

Whilst things certainly got more expensive during VTECs time it was never to the extent that I was left shocked at how much the bill came to like I have been by several recent stays. Hence the thread!

I don't know some of Virgin's pricing wasn't wonderful either. I remember using the station car park at Newcastle for one night whilst staying in the adjacent hotel. Full peak rate for two days, which came to something in the region of over £60, just for about 10 hours of overnight parking in a virtually deserted car park. To add further insult, were one to take the car out for the day and then do the same again, it would be same again. I seem to remember Carlisle (also Virgin at the time) having a similar setup, albeit not quite so expensive.

I realise this isn't really the way the car parks were intended to be used, but seems over the top nonetheless.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes, charged for 2 days at £7 per day, which was the weekend daily rate.

So if the same rules that applied then still applied now (which was the implication I took from @Wallsendmag) why have I been charged £29 for a Friday morning to Sunday evening stay? Surely it should be £12 for Friday (I arrived in the peak and before the Long Weekend is available), plus £5 for Saturday and then another £5 for Sunday so £22 total? Instead of seemingly £12 for Friday and Saturday with a £5 charge for Sunday?

I don't know some of Virgin's pricing wasn't wonderful either. I remember using the station car park at Newcastle for one night whilst staying in the adjacent hotel. Full peak rate for two days, which came to something in the region of over £60, just for about 10 hours of overnight parking in a virtually deserted car park. To add further insult, were one to take the car out for the day and then do the same again, it would be same again. I seem to remember Carlisle (also Virgin at the time) having a similar setup, albeit not quite so expensive.

I realise this isn't really the way the car parks were intended to be used, but seems over the top nonetheless.

Oh yes the city center car parks have always been eye-watering no matter the operator!

 

[Haywain]

So if the same rules that applied then still applied now (which was the implication I took from @Wallsendmag) why have I been charged £29 for a Friday morning to Sunday evening stay? Surely it should be £12 for Friday (I arrived in the peak and before the Long Weekend is available), plus £5 for Saturday and then another £5 for Sunday so £22 total? Instead of seemingly £12 for Friday and Saturday with a £5 charge for Sunday?

No idea, we no longer have any involvement in car parking like we used to.

 

[ainsworth74]

No idea, we no longer have any involvement in car parking like we used to.

Fair enough!

 

[Kite159]

If I'm reading that old sign correctly, it's it a bit cheeky charging for the full peak rate for 2 days if someone arrives at say 5pm and leaves at 5pm the following day. Surely a fairer system would be to charge the first day as off-peak, then day 2 at the full rate.

Sadly it's things like high parking charges at car parks, which some operators have taken passengers for a ride in recent years, might make some passengers not return to the railways. Some might simply decide to cost of parking added with the cost of fares is too much and will drive. With high station charges also meaning some will park elsewhere away from the main station car park, in either a 3rd party operated car park which charges less or parking on side streets where permitted).

[Coming from Grateley where there is a road outside the restricted parking zone little more than a few minutes walk from the station, where normally 4 or 5 vehicles park to avoid paying for parking running the risk APCOA declaring they made a mistake when inputting the number plate]

 

[Haywain]

If I'm reading that old sign correctly, it's it a bit cheeky charging for the full peak rate for 2 days if someone arrives at say 5pm and leaves at 5pm the following day. Surely a fairer system would be to charge the first day as off-peak, then day 2 at the full rate.

The old sign is some way from being current.

 

[ainsworth74]

The old sign is some way from being current.

I thankfully also have snaps of the current signage. The second image is admittedly not very clear (but at least on my PC you can zoom in and make out the details) but the first is thankfully:


(Charing information displayed at barrier on arrival)


(Charging information displayed opposite arrival point)

The faint text in the first bullet underneath the "Saturday - Sunday" part towards the bottom says: "Where a parking session, other than Long Weekend, extends into a weekend or weekday the total parking session is calculated at the peak rate per 24 hours".

Which to me is a massive change and why I apply the term "rinsing" as this seems to basically ensure that if you wish to park over the weekend but don't fall into the now much more tightly restricted Long Weekend category you will be charged far more than previous. By my reckoning at least.

I have to say, reviewing the signs again just now, it's hardly clear either considering that they put some detail on the pillar as you arrive but then put far more detail on another sign opposite the entrance. Might be handy if that sign was also located at the pedestrian exit from the car park to the station...

(Apologies for not including the above photos earlier I didn't have access to them until now)

I think what really got my blood boiling was the time I arrived shortly before 1800 on a Friday, left at shortly before 2100 the following Monday and got charged £34 for that weekends parking. Parking which would have previously been £18!

 

[Bletchleyite]

An upside of that is the 1 hour and 2 hour options - most station car parks are 20 mins then a full day. That was fine pre ANPR when you'd just explain to the warden in the unlikely event of seeing them, but now ANPR is in place there does need to be the option to stay a little longer.

 

[ainsworth74]

An upside of that is the 1 hour and 2 hour options - most station car parks are 20 mins then a full day. That was fine pre ANPR when you'd just explain to the warden in the unlikely event of seeing them, but now ANPR is in place there does need to be the option to stay a little longer.

LNER had that pre-ANPR as well. Different machine but it was available.

 

[Haywain]

The faint text in the first bullet underneath the "Saturday - Sunday" part towards the bottom says: "Where a parking session, other than Long Weekend, extends into a weekend or weekday the total parking session is calculated at the peak rate per 24 hours".

Which to me is a massive change and why I apply the term "rinsing" as this seems to basically ensure that if you wish to park over the weekend but don't fall into the now much more tightly restricted Long Weekend category you will be charged far more than previous. By my reckoning at least.

I find it difficult to disagree with you.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It sounds to me that this is just because the software is a bit lacking and can't handle variable periods at variable rates properly - it would take a really evil mind to think that up deliberately.

The answer is of course to change the software, as Saba (as used by WMT) can cope with it fine, I parked for two days a few weeks ago at Bletchley and just paid 2 x the weekend day rate as expected.

 

[TUC]

I'm surprised people still pay long stay station parking charges when multiple apps ennable searching for people's drives etc to park on at much lower cost.