Oxford Mail readers have been giving their reaction after it emerged some drivers have apparently been fined after using Waitrose car park in Abingdon as a short cut.

The car park on Abbey Close is run by Britannia Parking and there is camera enforcement of the parking regulations.

There is free customer parking for up to two hours, but some drivers have been fined for visiting the car park for even less time.

Waitrose has now apologised for the fines on behalf of Britannia Parking and has said there was a ‘fault’ in the system.

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A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Britannia Parking operate the supermarket car park in Abingdon on behalf of Waitrose.

“We’ve been made aware of some parking charge notices (PCN’s) that were recently sent in error due to a fault with the system.

“The notices concerned have been cancelled and we are writing to motorists that have been incorrectly charged to confirm that no further action is required. We’re very sorry for any inconvenience or distress caused.”

MALCOLM BOTT: “If there are two entrances to the car park it is pretty obvious that any camera surveillance has to be operative on both of them, otherwise all tickets issued on days where it was not should be cancelled.

“While it is true that Waitrose staff on site have no control over the situation, the car park is owned by (or leased to) Waitrose as a company, and they need to sort things out with whatever cowboy company they have subbed parking control out to.

“There are legitimate reasons for entering and leaving the car park in a short period; at busy times the car park can be quite full and people may choose to drive on to one of the adjoining council car parks; also of course for dropping off an elderly or disabled person and returning later to pick them up.”

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JAMES SPARKS: “This wouldn’t happen if the Upper Reaches was open.”

WAYNE BENTLEY: “Sort the traffic system out in Abingdon."

JAMES SPARKS: “I think you’ll find the number of coffee shops are to blame.

“The council didn’t think of this when they gave planning permission to all those coffee shops.”

BRIAN RAWLINSON: “I have driven through this car park, to park in the car park in front of the council offices, but I always exit via the Vineyard, never back the way I’ve arrived.

“Some months ago at the return of school post summer, the bright sparks extended the stretch of controlled traffic lights over the bridge (put in place to control traffic due to weak bridge pending repairs), out of Abingdon to Culham and beyond, with the belief that it’d encourage people to leave their cars to get to their destinations using green means. Abingdon experienced probably the worse snarl-up of traffic ever, people trying to go south were stuck for periods over an hour, unable to get through on the bridge due to those arriving in Abingdon unable to go through thanks to the build-up round the town simply blocking any movement.

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“That was one day when I drove through Waitrose’s car park to the Vale’s car park - I exited via the Vineyard with no issues!”

TONY FIXTER: “Close the cut through and replace the lights at abbey close/A4183 (Waitrose main entrance/exit with a roundabout.”

SARAH WILLIAMS: “People cut through in busy times; but it’s used like a race track and people speed through. Parking in the Vale car park the other side and trying to walk through is horrible. Cars swerve the speed humps and nearly hit me one day whilst I was walking along the pedestrian bit.”

KAY ELIZABETH: “Sarah Williams me and Nana quite often go to Waitrose - people seem to speed down through the car park all the time - it’s dangerous especially when trying to push a trolley and help an elderly lady to the car.”

CHRISSIE SODEN: “Maybe if they sorted multi-storey car park this wouldn’t be happening no one seems to know why it’s still closed they have had long enough to do what ever has to be done.”

JEAN HALL: “I used it as a cut through for nine years without any trouble.”

TRACY CHANDLER: “Guilty - maybe we could fine people for using our street at a rat run and our private drive as a turning point!”

WILLIAM O’DONNELL: “As I emerged from this store last week with my quail’s eggs, I was amazed to see so many undesirables using it as a short cut.”

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