SHOPPERS have said they will boycott a shopping centre after getting ticketed at its car park.

Accrington Arndale’s shopping centre car park run by ES Parking has had its fair share of critics as shoppers say the rules are not clear enough.

From disabled parking fines to accidentally staying over the limit, critics say there are too few signs and they are not clearly displayed and that parking should be free as it was for many years.

Rachal Slinger from Accrington said: “It’s silly that they have reduced the free parking time to half an hour.

“Usually people parking on there are going to shop in town as there aren’t many shops in the Arndale, but half an hour isn’t long enough to do that.

“Accrington needs to encourage shoppers to visit. Also, the amount of people who have received fines puts a lot of people off parking there.”

Another shopper, who did not wish to be named, said: “I think ES Parking are ridiculous to be honest with you.

“It isn’t just one occasion, it’s many times when we go, they haven’t had signs up to say it’s not free until recently.

“They’re also so rude when you try to speak to them about anything. I think they are killing off the shopping centre.”

Peter Wardell from Rishton is among the people fined recently. He was fined after parking in a disabled bay and not paying.

He said: “We do go shopping at Accrington Arndale but we don’t use the multi-storey car park because of what happened.

“ES Parking are a joke and they should change the way they conduct business because I have not heard anything from them since the last time.”

To park at Accrington Arndale’s car park visitors must pay £1 for a full day or it is free for anyone only there for 30 minutes.

This seems to be where most are caught out as they may overstay or not realise parking is no longer free.

Leader of Hyndburn Council, Cllr Miles Parkinson said: “Everyone knows Accrington Arndale for having free parking but now it confuses people seeing the car park empty.

“They are losing footfall and eventually these shops will relocate so it does not make any sense.

“It is a damaging business preposition and there are always negative comments about it.”

Cllr Parkinson receives many letters of complaints from people regarding the carpark.

He said: “We would engage with Accrington Arndale if they wanted to talk to us about it.

“I know I am not the only councillor who receives negative letters on a weekly basis.

“The car park is deserted when you go there and businesses are already struggling during this time.”

ES Parking refused to comment.