Okehampton Town Council has agreed to step back and allow GWR to continue to work towards resolving the ongoing parking ticket crisis at Okehampton Station.

At the last full council meeting on November 28, town councillors discussed a letter from Central Devon MP Mel Stride asking the council’s opinion on the problem of unfairly issued parking tickets at Okehampton Station.

The letter came as a resident contacted Mr Stride asking for help in the battle against parking management company APCOA, which has issued dozens of railway users with parking fines despite drivers providing evidence that they were unable to pay the fee as the machine was out of order.

The resident wrote to Mr Stride: ‘Nobody feels that a £2/day parking fee is unreasonable, but it is only possible to pay via a phone app or by credit card, no cash allowed. Recently many of us, including myself, were sent parking fee demands when attending the Station Open Day on September 24. We could not access their app, and the only pay machine was out of action, for which there is photographic evidence. Despite explaining this to the company concerned they have not backed down and are charging £50 to £100. People have also been sent demands when they are dropping off passengers.’

Okehampton Town Council noted that some residents had had their fines refunded and thatGWR was closely involved in the discussions to resolve the situation.

It was thought that the train company had been helpful throughout the process and thus, it was agreed that the council ‘park’ the problem in order to allow GWR’s discussions with APCOA to continue without interference.