Car parking with Ringgo / APCOA Connect

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

I'm sure it will be - although it ought to be by now....

[Chris2]

The new system will also charge you for the phone call, when using a mobile with minutes as it is a non-geographic number: 08451 228008. 
At the moment I can not find an alternate geographic number which would use inclusive minutes.

[brizzlechris]

Saw the smallest of notices on the stairs for platform 2 at Bath Spa today.

[clevedonian]

there was a two page leaflet on my car windscreen when i got back this evening, with the new arrangements.

i really liked ring-go!

[JayMac]

The 'Car Parks' section of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website has been updated with a 'coming soon' for APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) Connect:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=185

[johoare]

Lets just hope they're not over zealous with parking tickets the first week or so until everyone finds out about it...

[adc82140]

Even if they do place a speculative invoice on your windscreen made to look like a proper parking ticket, just put it in the bin.

Perhaps we should start gathering information on alternative non railway run car parking near to stations and the cost. I'll start...

Maidenhead- Stafferton Way Multi Storey- Cost ^4.10/day- 3 minutes walk from the station
Twyford- Polehampton Close Pay & Display- Cost ^3.00/day- 6 minutes walk from the station
North Camp- Hollybush Lane on-street- Cost- Free, unrestricted- 2 minutes walk from the station

[BBM]

Perhaps we should start gathering information on alternative non railway run car parking near to stations and the cost. I'll start...

There's a good website called Parkopedia which allows users to search on places such as railway stations and returns lists (including prices) of nearby public car parks and also private individuals who rent out driveways, etc for parking.

[Phil]

Interesting announcement from RingGo this evening:

Four days ago we let you know of a certainty.

That certainty was that RingGo was to be withdrawn from NetworkrRail and First Great Western stations within the next 2 weeks.

Today that certainty is no longer, due to the scale, the sheer enormity, of the indignant response that has flooded back to us, to First Great Western, to MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament), to APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area), to the press and other media, to the twittersphere and to the ad-hoc rallying point The Yellow Lines.  It has been awesome.  Thank you so much.  We are amazed, humbled and hugely grateful to you for your support.

What is more, facts have surfaced, that seem to show that First Great Western made their withdrawal decision on the basis of false information.  It may be that this is true of NetworkkRail^s decision too.

Because of this development we have had clearance from our lawyers to make a public statement which is now posted on our site.   To see it click here.

Given these exceptional events, we hope you haven^t minded our getting back in touch.  Your involvement is clearly making a direct difference and might mean we can continue to help make your parking payments swift, easy and secure.

Warm regards

 

RingGo Customer Care

Aforementioned Public Statement:

A statement of clarification

Under a decision made by APCOA and sanctioned separately by Network Rail and the First Great Western Railway, the RingGo phone parking service is scheduled to be withdrawn from the car parks of each later this month.

We deeply regret this decision and would like to take this opportunity to express our pleasure in having supported the customers of both rail organisations and indeed the organisations themselves.   

We have been made aware that the reasons for this change have been discussed by First Great Western in customer communications.  The following words have been used in emails from the customer relations team of the First Group

"The change is being made because of a significant increase in call charges proposed by Cobalt, (the provider of RingGo). We supported APCOA (who have the car park contract) when they decided not to accept these increases."

It had been our intention not to comment on the background to the withdrawal, but we feel compelled to respond and state that this is categorically not true.  We do not however allege any intent by First Great Western or the First Group to make a false statement.  We have formally sought clarification from them but fully understand that they may have been misled.

Since its launch on 12th June 2006, and as a founding principle of the service, access to RingGo has always been through ordinary geographic telephone numbers.  This has meant that our customers are never in doubt as to how much their call costs.  In the case of contract customers, they enjoy the extra benefit of their call charges being included in their allocation of airtime minutes.  We therefore take particular offence at this allegation and refute it utterly.

For the additional avoidance of doubt RingGo's unit charges to APCOA have been held static for the last 5 years, despite inflation.   In addition, within the last year, proposals have been tabled to APCOA to reduce those unit charges further still.

http://www.ringgo.co.uk/APCOA

[johoare]

So.. Sounds like it's all a bit up in the air at the moment with a week to go?

[ChrisB]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are sending out this reply to customers who contact them....

Thank you for your xxx of xxx. I appreciate you are concerned that the RingGo service will no longer be available at our Station car parks and I am pleased to have this chance to explain our position.

The change is being made because of a significant increase in call charges proposed by Cobalt, the provider of RingGo. We supported APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) when they decided not to accept these increases.

We will therefore be offering a similar system, APCOA Connect, from 14 March.  This system is already the preferred choice of several Local Authorities, Network Rail, and is equally as secure and easy to use.

You will need to register your details with them the first time you park, or you can register now on APCOA^s website; www.apcoa.co.uk/connect. After this, you can carry on paying for your parking, as efficiently as you have always done.

I hope you are reassured that an excellent replacement service will be available and thanks again for your xxx.

So, not up in the air & the change looks on the cards.
FGW have also leafletted all cars parked in car parks.

[Chris2]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are sending out this reply to customers who contact them....

Thank you for your xxx of xxx. I appreciate you are concerned that the RingGo service will no longer be available at our Station car parks and I am pleased to have this chance to explain our position.

The change is being made because of a significant increase in call charges proposed by Cobalt, the provider of RingGo. We supported APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) when they decided not to accept these increases.

We will therefore be offering a similar system, APCOA Connect, from 14 March.  This system is already the preferred choice of several Local Authorities, Network Rail, and is equally as secure and easy to use.

You will need to register your details with them the first time you park, or you can register now on APCOA^s website; www.apcoa.co.uk/connect. After this, you can carry on paying for your parking, as efficiently as you have always done.

I hope you are reassured that an excellent replacement service will be available and thanks again for your xxx.

So, not up in the air & the change looks on the cards.
FGW have also leafletted all cars parked in car parks.

The email statement above is why RingGo made the public response to the change in parking system. We will hopefully find out more in the next few days as to whether APCOA connect will be implemented or RingGo will be retained.

[ChrisB]

As far as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are concerned, its being implemented.

[Mookiemoo]

At 12:30 today the sign platform side at parkway where you get the rail code was still giving ringo details with no indication of a change - I wonder how many people were caught out if they just park and run and check the code as they go down the stairs

[ChrisB]

Hasn't yet changed, so they'll be fine.

Might help to read the whole thread before posting? due on next Monday.