TALKS on a controversial car park are set to take place after motorists were wrongly ordered to pay £100 fines.

Drivers, who parked on the Oastler Road site in Saltaire, were issued tickets by operator Car Park Management (CPM) despite the fact it is not operational yet.

Shipley MP Philip Davies was told via the International Parking Community (IPC), which regulates the car park operator, that a member of staff did turn the site live for 24 hours but once it was noticed the cameras were turned off immediately.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

James Randall, the chief executive for CPM, reassured the politician that all tickets have been cancelled and no more action will take place until company figures meet with those concerned on the site.

But the MP has warned CPM desperately needs to regain the trust of local business owners and residents, like campaigner Ludi Simpson.

Mr Simpson told the Telegraph & Argus: “There was one day in early November where someone must have gone round with a hand held camera.

“We’ve got an assurance that they wouldn’t start until people had been talked to. The operator of the industry, IPC, said they would be refunded.

“The shop owners are worried because customers can’t be sure how the car park is running.”

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The CEO of the operator’s industry body IPC, Will Hurley, has invited Mr Simpson to walk around Oastler Road Car Park mid-Febuary to discuss concerns, along with all three local councillors including Vick Jenkins, Mr Davies and the operator, UKCPM.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Mr Simpson said: “It is strange, I’m not sure what they want to achieve, nor why the landlord is not involved so far.”

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The meeting is taking place on February 15 with Philip Davies urging the operator to take the chance to build connections and put the public at ease.

The site on Oastler Road was previously run by Birmingham-based Smart Parking who faced accusations of unfair parking fines of £100.

I am fully supportive of the campaign against rip off car parking operatives at the Oastler Road site in Saltaire. We already experienced and fought against this two years ago. The maximization of profit over the interests and livelihood of local businesses is immoral. We need to fight for better regulation at a national and local level. - Vick Jenkins, councillor for Shipley

CPM has signed a new contract with the landlord of the properties on Oastler Road, Saltaire Investments.

Philip Davies added: “Given what happened last time, people are going to be naturally suspicious and that’s the last thing we want as we want to support the local businesses. It’s critical people do use the car park for the sake of the local businesses.

“That’s why I think what I’ve proposed and what we’ve organised is so important."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Mr Davies would also like to ask anyone who still hasn't got a refund from the Smart Parking fines to contact his office.

CPM did not provide a comment by the time the T&A went to print.