OUT OF ORDER

Last night a few friends and I used a National Express Intercity train to get to Ipswich for a birthday dinner.

Having enjoyed an aperitif (or four) I was in need to use the toilet. Good job it was simply a wee as out of the four toilets I attempted to use only one didn't have an out of order sign on the door (and was locked). The only toilet not out of order was full to the brim with toilet paper and human waste however it was the best option I had.

A letter of feedback will be on its way to NX shortly.

Another instance of feeling that offences were commited in my direction which were out of order was experienced a couple of weeks ago when visiting the lovely Suffolk market town of Woodbridge.

Here is a copy of the letter which is still sitting in the council's in tray:

Jan 2011
To whom it may concern,

Yesterday I traveled from Colchester to meet a dear old friend in Ipswich, he came from Needham Market. We found amusement and mild merriment in Ipswich but were keen to seek out something with a little more charm so we decided to make the 8.5 mile drive to Woodbridge.

On the recommendation of a friend whom works in your fine town we parked in the Budgens car park and at 13:36 we purchased a ticket from the vending machine. Uncertain of our plans we thought it prudent not to opt for the 30 minute ticket, nor the 1 hour ticket but instead went for a two hour option, at the cost of One British Pound - exceptional value compared to some of the larger neighbouring towns and cities. Off my friend and I went to explore the delights of Woodbridge. Our first port of call was the Frangipani Coffee House where we had a delicious locally produced potato and leek soup with a buttered cheese roll on the side. Feeling fully fuelled we explored some truly unique local retail outlets concluding our exploration in the British Heart Foundation charity shop where we came across some intriguing vintage clothing. We were both mesmerized by the array of individual and local shops, most of our time seemed to be consumed by exploring vintage clothing options and second hand music treats.

After further retail exploration we noticed the sun was beginning to fade and given our respective journeys back to Colchester and Needham Market we simply couldn’t resist dropping into the Georgian Coffee House to grab a quick dash of coffee before our departure. Upon entering this fine establishment my friend pointed out there were a couple of caramel slices looking rather lonely so we decided to take a seat and liberate them. Upon consumption, and to our sadness, we realized it was probably time to get going. Neither of us could recall precisely what time we had arrived in Woodbridge but assumed that our two hour parking ticket would be soon to an end.

Upon returning to our car we noticed a yellow plastic parking notice had been applied. After close inspection it was clear we had outstayed our car parking ticket by a few minutes, enough so that we have been issued with a £40 penalty notice. The notice had been issued to us at 15:51, and at the time of us reviewing it was 15:54. It is quite clear that we are in error of paying poor attention to the detail of our arrival time to the car park, but it surely seems disproportionate that we should be faced with a £40 cost given that the price to park for two hours was just £1. The extenuating circumstances are that we were enjoying time as tourists and spending money, helping support the Woodbridge economy. Our time keeping was poor but in our experience most car parks deduct the appropriate amount accrued at the end of the visit – managed usually by a barrier/ticket system. At a time of economic hardship for many our enjoyment of Woodbridge is something surely you would wish all tourists to emulate and we would therefore urge that in the first instance you consider abandoning the pursuit of the £40 fine imposed upon us. Moreover I would also urge you in the long run to consider the implementation of a barrier to control the precise costs to park, such implementation might encourage tourists and residents to stay longer within the town centre as opposed to rushing back to the car through fear of the imposition of a heavy fine.

Thank you in advance for your time, we look forward to hearing from you

Darius Laws