Parking Permits

The Parking Shop has shut.
Well it wasn't a bundle of laughs when it was open, but now we have to apply for our permits online and they post them to us. Which would probably work if the post did.
Where I live the post is only reliable in it's intermittent unreliableness.

So I paid for my permit to start last Monday but it's now the following Saturday and it not only hasn't arrived (I've had to use my car to get to work all week at huge cost in petrol as I can't leave it on my street because I can't get hold of a permit I've PAID for) but when I phone Southwark parking and sit on hold for 20 minutes (I've spoken to the same guy both times I've phoned so I think they only have one) all he says is "Write and complain".

Didn't actually want to pay a lot of money to park outside my own house when it was first introduced (thanks Ken) really not happy now I can't get a permit I've paid for and I can't leave my car anywhere because of the risk of a big fine even when you HAVE a permit.

WTF?

Email me and I'll try & sort it out.
Cllr Graham Neale

But the point is WHY should Davies need you to sort it out? It should have been done already, he's paid for his permit. Being told to 'write and complain' is just someone passing the problem onto someone else - it simply isn't good enough.

I tried to renew my permit online but the website wouldn't process it - after several attempts and a phone call, it was just easier to go to the parking shop (which was thankfully still open at the time).

The postal service around here continues to go unchecked, despite their lack of reliability and carelessness being common knowledge.

LilaSE1 wrote:

But the point is WHY should Davies need you to sort it out? It should have been done already, he's paid for his permit. Being told to 'write and complain' is just someone passing the problem onto someone else - it simply isn't good enough.
I tried to renew my permit online but the website wouldn't process it - after several attempts and a phone call, it was just easier to go to the parking shop (which was thankfully still open at the time).

The postal service around here continues to go unchecked, despite their lack of reliability and carelessness being common knowledge.

Agreed!
I think the answer is that the whole system is so hopelessly corrupt that if you don't pull strings you are stuffed.

I have sent Councillor Neale a message anyway as the whole thing is costing me a fortune I do not have.

It's now Sunday 13th of March and I still don't have my parking Permit two weeks after I paid for it online.

I have made three phone calls to the Parking department where I waited on hold for a considerable period on a premium rate number each time and each time I was told another permit has been sent me but still nothing has arrived.
The parking people say they are not responsible for the post and there's nothing they can do.
Meanwhile I'm spending a fortune on petrol driving 30 miles a day to work and back because I can't park outside my own house even though I've paid for it.

I've written and complained to the parking website email address given for that purpose and receive no reply at all.

What the f is going on here?

Apoca Is whats going on. I tried to get visitors permits using the online service... Total fail, as my address apparently didn't exist! Funnily enough they can find it when they want to send me a council tax bill!

No useful reply from the council until I involved my local councillors. Top marks to them for taking it on... Nil point to Southwark for the utter intransigence of their customer services centre and feckless contractor!

Sorry to read you've had so much trouble with this. I know it's absolutely no comfort whatsoever, but I have used the on-line service about 4 times in the past 18 months with no problems at all. Most recently, I renewed my parking permit on-line in the evening of Monday 7 March, and received it in the post on Saturday 12 March. Maybe it's luck of the draw - but it sounds like your post delivery service might be a bit on the rubbish side.

I tried to get a renewal book of residents visitors permits online but it 'did not recognise the format of my email address'. I telephoned and the person said this type of request should be dealt with online and when I explained the problem with the email address he said to use another one, it doesn't necessary have to be mine, someone in my family would be okay and went on to finish the call with 'okay thank you'. But I told him quickly that I was not prepared to do this because it can breach the Freedom of Information Act (don't know if it does but it sounded good) and he reluctantly said he would process it. I know the staff in the Parking Shop at the Old Kent Road were quite abrupt and surly most of the time and I wonder if they are now answering the phones!

Parking permits will soon not be the only problem we have. The One stop shop in Spa Road is closing within the next two years, probably sooner than later along with others apparently.

So soon anything you need to contact the council for will be online. There will be no direct contact with Housing Officers be they Estate Officers, Rent Officers or any other Form of Officer.

They have already moved the Residential Involvement Officers who used to help and liaise with the TRA's in the area and guess what, they are no longer involved since moving to Tooley Street. Don't know why they are called Resident Involvement Officers !!!

By the way that also means that those without internet access will no longer be able to pick up a parking permit form to post in.

Sorry to hijack this thread but this is just the start with the Parking Shop closure.

My permit came today. Two weeks after the paid for period commenced and dated 11/03/11
I daren't send off for visitors permits I can't afford it if they get lost too.

This is totally appalling what is going on with Southwarks services. If they can't administer parking permits then they have no right to make us have them.

I'm horrified to hear services are going to be further withdrawn with the closure of the One Stop Shop. Why not keep it open and let it do permits as well?