This is Car Park 4

SRTA member Marion Price and SRTA Chairman Tony Clayton are both quoted in the Sevenoaks Chronicle’s revelation that Southeastern and their contractors have been over-selling up to 30 Car Park 1 places at £1467 a year each – an additional profit of some £44,000 a year to the rail company, on top of the above-average fare increases imposed for 2015.

Marion Price is one of a number of SRTA members and supporters who have over the last few months reported problems getting the space for which they have paid. Marion told the Chronicle that:

“The full number of available car parking spaces has already been sold and the charges collected by the operator. To sell some of those spaces again is a form of usury and is completely unacceptable.”

Tony Clayton added that:

“It is not reasonable to sell a season ticket for a space which doesn’t exist, or which has been sold to somebody else. The idea that you can sell the chance of a parking space – like airlines do with seats – only works if you pay large compensation for overbooking when all the customers turn up.”

Yet the Chronicle’s investigations have shown that Southeastern are charging £1467 for only the chance of a parking place – Southeastern’s conditions actually say: “purchasing a permit in advance does not guarantee a space” – which raises the question of what purchasing a permit does guarantee?! Overall Southeastern seem to be selling 165 tickets for 135 places.

It is also telling that Southeastern changed their story to the Chronicle, and that their second response made an irrelevant point about there being spaces in Car Park 4 – which was not in issue.

It’s notable that the two Sevenoaks District Council car parks near the station both have a system of numbered spaces that are reserved for specific season ticket holders until 0930 – which many will think is a somewhat fairer system.

If you have had problems finding the parking place you have paid for in Sevenoaks Station Car Park 1 – or Car Park 4 – please let us know by using the comment box below or by emailing enquiries at srta dot org dot uk.