Pensioners 'night from hell' after Nottingham park and ride clamp leaves them stuck until 3.30am

The couple said they felt vulnerable after they were left in the cold in the early hours of the morning

A couple in their 70s say they had a "night from hell" after they were left stranded in a tram stop car park until the early hours of the morning after being clamped. Lee and Jill Sinclair had parked at the Forest Park & Ride tram stop at Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham on Saturday, August 24, to head into the city for shopping, food and to watch a comedy show.

When they got back, they found their Alfa Romeo had been clamped because they hadn't bought a tram ticket - despite being concessionary travel pass holders with Nottinghamshire County Council, meaning they didn't need to. But they said that when they rang up the number to ask for it to be released, there was no answer - and it took four hours before they were finally freed.

Mrs Sinclair said: "We've got a pass and we used the trams. In that car park we felt vulnerable. It's not a nice place to be late at night. We were angry. If it had been me on my own I don't know what I would've done. Luckily, together, we could rationalise with each other. It was not pleasant. Anyone could be caught out and stuck there. It needs to be brought to people's attention that this is happening. It's disgusting."

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The couple, who live in Laneham, a village an hour away in north Nottinghamshire, had headed to the city for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic to celebrate Mr Sinclair's 76th birthday. In the past, they said they had parked and used the trams regularly without trouble.

This time, however, they didn't go to the machine at the tram stop as soon as they'd parked at 3pm - which NET rules stipulate that users must do, even if they have a concessionary pass, so that they can register it. Instead, they enjoyed a walk into the city centre through The Arboretum before using the tram later on to get back to the car park, which the concessionary pass allows at any time of the day during the weekend.

But they say when they arrived back at the tram stop at 11pm they found their car had been clamped. Tired and wanting to get home, the couple said they immediately rang the number for the company responsible for the clamping - CPS Solutions - listed on a notice that had been left on their windscreen. But when they rang both the main and the emergency phone numbers, they did not get through, they said.

A spokesperson for CPS Solutions said that information on the notice explains that if full payment is received by 6.30pm, the clamp will be removed by 8pm that evening, but if any later, the clamp will be removed by 8am of the following day. The Sinclairs said they did not know this information.

They tried to contact the company "numerous times" without success, said Mr Sinclair - before, in a panic, ringing the police on 101 for advice. The Sinclairs say the police tried to contact the clamping company too - but still there was no response.

On police advice, the Sinclairs said they rang the tram information service phone number listed on an information board at the tram stop, and an employee there also tried to contact CPS. But there was no luck.

After being approached by a number of drivers of vehicles using the site for leisure, an NET duty manager turned up, having seen the couple on his surveillance cameras stuck in their car for more than an hour and a half. He offered to drive them to a nearby Premier Inn hotel - but couldn't help further, with CPS being a private external company.

The couple opted to stay anyway, having read the rules and being worried that their car might be removed if they left it, and despite the NET manager warning that the car park was not safe at night. They say they continued to ring the numbers, and rang the police again before their calls were finally answered by a man who sounded like "he had obviously been woken up".

The couple say the man told them that no-one would be available until at least 8am, if not as late as 9.30am, to unclamp their car. But after pleading with him, the man eventually did send someone out - and the couple were charged a total of £180 for the after-hours call-out and the clamp removal.

Mr Sinclair said: "As we have bus passes issued by Nottinghamshire County Council we believe we have not deprived Net Tram of revenue and cannot believe that this service is so bad and dangerous especially for people of our age group. The situation could have been much worse if it was December and not August. I feel this service is not fit for purpose and should be reviewed urgently."

Shaun Kenneth, network resilience and security manager at NET, said: "We use a third-party security company to help us monitor and deter drivers from misusing our park & ride facilities. Any subsequent activity that breaches our park & ride conditions is then enforced by the third-party company, with action including vehicle clamping, and in some cases the removal of the vehicle from the site.

“For those travelling with a concession travel pass, they will be required to validate their passes at the validators located by the tram stops before onward tram travel. Failure to do so could result in their vehicle being clamped or removed. However, if they’re able to prove that they are a concessionary pass holder, they can get in touch with our third party security company for reversal of any enforcement action.

“There are signs at all our park & ride sites which state that all park & ride users are required to have a valid tram ticket and ride the tram after they park, to use the facility. We’re committed to continuously monitoring and improving all our operations, including at all our park & ride sites.”

A spokesperson for CPS Solutions said: "Mr Sinclair has accepted he did breach the terms and conditions, had they followed procedure for using the car park this matter would’ve been avoided. The leaflet left on the windscreen is quite clear regarding release times.

"There are sufficient warnings signs on the entrance and throughout the car park explaining the terms and conditions along with NET website. The signs clearly state that enforcement action will be taken."