Car parking with Ringgo / APCOA Connect

[whole diary]

[johoare]

My friend also parks 3 days a week at Maidenhead and uses RingGo so I thought I'd ask her earlier if she had heard about this change.. And she'd heard nothing about it.. It is very strange... It's almost like they want to make lots of money on Monday from people who get caught out and haven't paid for parking because it's all changed (however I'm a cynical person  so I'm sure that isn't the case at all  )

[ChrisB]

I would hope that RinGo will make those location Codes for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) redundant and prevent money being taken.

[Bristol Traveler]

Have found out some details about this new service... and it's not pretty.

Firstly they're going to be using an 0845 number which costs loads from mobiles not the local one as before.

Apcoa connect is new and has been in 28 car parks as opposed to RingGo's 3000!

The company providing the service isn't FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and it isn't Apcoa it's a company called Mirada which does tv phone services!! God help us. It looks like in this case it's going to be "They say, you pay..." more

and.... they're not even on Visa's credit card safe list
List of PCI DSS validated service providers  (RingGo is run by cobalt)


Something isn't right here

http://www.ringgo.co.uk/article126.html

Annoyed

[ChrisB]

Yellow Lines (from where you've taken your info) is 'sponsored' by who else but RingGo.....bear in mind they won't be impartial.

Surely, as long as it works, and it doesn't cost the commuter any more, how much else of the above is really any care of the commuter?
The case of thew 08451 number, rather than a geographical number like RingGo uses, is under discussion between the Customer Panel and FGW^▸ (First Great Western), and are hopeful of a successful conclusion. But possibly not before it starts on Monday as time to change it is very short.

[Bristol Traveler]

You're right all the info is from that site, which isn't impartial. But here's the thing why change? RingGo works well(according to both FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) press releases), wins awards etc The change is motivated by making more money not on customer service and this is my big beef. I like using RingGo it makes my day,even just slightly, easier. FGW don't seem to care about that, here's their response to my questions

Thank you for your email to Sue Evans, she has asked me to reply on her behalf. I appreciate you are concerned about the change to APCOA Connect, and I am sorry to hear that you have had problems with other phone systems.

The change is being made because of a significant increase in call charges proposed by Cobalt, (the provider of RingGo). We supported APCOA when they decided not to accept these increases. We are confident that the new system - APCOA Connect will work well.  It is already the preferred choice of several Local Authorities, and Network Rail, and is equally as secure and easy to use. We will therefore be offering this service from 14 March.

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.

If you do have problems do let me know but I trust you find all works well.

Thank you again for the email.

Best wishes

Jane Jones
Customer Relations

So my problems are, RingGo deny they tried to raise prices
http://www.ringgo.co.uk/article126.html

The new system is not a preferred solution it is used in 28 car parks not the 3000 of RingGo (I'd rather have a national system than having to use many different providers). By using the 0845 number from the outset shows an intention I don't like even if it is under review. They clearly wanted to make more money and are only bowing to pressure.

And the new system is not as secure according to Visa's accreditation system.

I think these are good reasons so until the day comes I'm going to bang on about it. On yellowlines they appear to be contacting MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s and the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about). At least they're not going down without a fight....

[Phil]

I'm with Jo in thinking that the new service looks to be OK and should be given a fair chance, although I am a bit concerned about their lack of forethought in the way it's being rolled out - especially the lack of information even this late in the day - and their disregard for the customer in imposing an 0845 number from the outset.

In principle I'm not averse to change - change is the one constant in the modern world we live in, after all. However there does have to be SOME sort of advantage to it, whether it's a simpler service, a more useful service, a cheaper service, a more effective service or even just a more cost-effective way of doing things.

APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area)'s offering appears to be none of these things, leading me to wonder if perhaps there has in fact just been some kind of stitch-up behind the scenes, with the winners being the corporate lawyers and the company shareholders or investors, and the losers being the travelling public - plus of course the pioneers of cashless parking themselves, RingGo.

Then again, as they say: you can always tell the pioneers, as they're the ones with the arrows in their backs....

[johoare]

I would hope that RinGo will make those location Codes for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) redundant and prevent money being taken.

This is ok as long as Apcoa/FGW tell all their customers what is happening before they do it? So far they haven't at Maidenhead, and I'm sure they're not singleing (I really can't work out how to spell that word!!!) Maidenhead commuters out for a lack of information.. If they make a lot of money by fining people (who don't know and so don't have tickets) for the first week or so then that is very very bad on their part... We'll see..

I'm with Jo in thinking that the new service looks to be OK and should be given a fair chance, although I am a bit concerned about their lack of forethought in the way it's being rolled out - especially the lack of information even this late in the day - and their disregard for the customer in imposing an 0845 number from the outset.

I agree (as you'd imagine since you were agreeing with me in the first place  ).. From what I have read you can also pay by text rather than a phone call.. This could be an alternative to the 0845 number maybe? I really think I will have the cash ready on monday just in case though..

[centralman]

I think this is terrible. Checking my contract I have to pay 20p per minute to call this new APOCA connect where as before it was free with my minutes as it was a local 01173 number!!

I also tweeted Ring go on twitter and this is what I wrote..

"Any news on if you are fighting this silly kickout of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) car parks?"

And they replied with

"Hi *****. We're doing what we can but FGW/Network Rail seem pretty set on it. Lots of debate on TheYellowLines http://ht.ly/4aF3z"

Shows they are supporting The Yellow lines very well.

CentralMan

[ChrisB]

One thing to bear very much in mind....

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have contracted APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) to run their car parks. APCOA Have subsequently sub-contracted the pay-by-phone part to RingGo. This dub-contract came up for re-tender and the company mentioned up-thread won, presumably with a cheaper cost to APCOA/FGW

So FGW Didn't appoint the new sub-contractors/sack RingGo....APCOA did, and notified FGW/National Rail.

How much due diligence APCOA has done over the new suppliers VISA clearance, and whether APCOA (or whether APCOA told FGW about the 08451 number in good time) is open to question I think.

But FGW might have been caught in a sub-contract change not of their direct making seems probable to me.

[Ollie]

This is the response that will currently be given by customer services.

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 contract changes proposed by Cobalt, the provider of RingGo, which is currently contracted by APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) to provide cashless payment systems at First Great Western Stations. We supported APCOA when they decided not to accept these changes.

Following a competitive tender process to ensure best value for money, and to avoid additional costs for our customers, APCOA will 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 through the following link www.apcoa.co.uk/connect . After this, you can carry on paying for your parking, as efficiently as you have always done.

There will be no additional charges for customers using the new service and you will still receive the discount offered to customers who pay by phone rather than by cash. Payment statements and VAT^▸ (Value Added Tax) receipts will still be available through the APCOA Connect website.

[JayMac]

Is it not a bit rich of FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to say "there will be no additional charges...." when the new number to call for cashless payment is an 0845 number?

[Ollie]

I believe they are more referring to in terms of the actual parking cost, rather than cost to call the service.

[Mookiemoo]

I believe they are more referring to in terms of the actual parking cost, rather than cost to call the service.

Same different thought to the punter

[ChrisB]

Can u say that in English, Mookiemoo? "same different"??!!

[Bristol Traveler]

How much due diligence APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) has done over the new suppliers VISA clearance, and whether APCOA (or whether APCOA told FGW^▸ (First Great Western) about the 08451 number in good time) is open to question I think.

But FGW might have been caught in a sub-contract change not of their direct making seems probable to me.

I think this is probably the truth of the matter.... but it is FGW who are going to be getting in the neck for the bad PR^▸ (Public Relations).

And as for Phil's comments about pioneers.... spot on. It's just a shame that I can use RingGo at Bristol council car parks but I then I have to use a different number to park at the station. And that's true of loads of other councils in the Southwest. It's frustrating and seems a backwards step to me.