PARKED OFF
My van was trapped in a posh car park for TWO years – now I’ve been hit with a £43k bill… it’s an absolute debacle
Mark had to rent a van at £800 a month
A VAN driver claims he's had to fork out £43,000 after his vehicle was trapped in a posh car park for two years.
Furniture designer Mark Lucas, 48, left his Vauxhall Vivaro in an underground mechanical stacked car park on Rathbones Square in December 2022 as he worked at a nearby house.
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However, later that evening he couldn't access his car because the stacker had "malfunctioned".
Mark said after speaking to the concierge he was told he could collect the van after the weekend, but alleges ongoing mechanical problems meant he couldn't get his van for two years.
The amount he eventually paid out - taking into account s fees, van depreciation and the hire of the temporary vehicle - was several thousand more than the £39,000 he paid for the vehicle just months before.
On January 31 2023, he was told in an email that the van was stuck and a new lifting platform would take 40 weeks to fit and repair, reports The Telegraph.
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In the meantime, Mark hired a van for £800 a month.
Early last year he said he was informed repairs were unlikely until May and that any losses would be recovered by whoever had overall responsibility.
Mark told the newspaper: "Every time we thought we would get close to the date when we thought we could get the van back they pushed it back."
He added: "I’ve had a great amount of frustration over it and a great amount of anxiety over it, we haven’t been able to grow our business because we literally cannot afford to put any more money into the business."
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Double Parking Systems said: "As the contracted maintenance provider for the automated parking system at Rathbone Square, we want to address recent concerns about the extended period during which a vehicle was inaccessible.
"First, it’s important to clarify that we were not involved in the design, manufacture, or installation of the system.
"Our role has always been strictly limited to maintenance and repair services, as directed by the managing agent.
"When a major fault occurred in December 2022, we responded quickly - attending the site within hours and submitting repair quotations shortly after.
"Unfortunately, the main causes of delay in resolving the issue were prolonged procurement approval processes and delays in receiving specialised parts from overseas suppliers - factors entirely outside of our control.
"While we regret how long it took to restore access, we acted in good faith at every stage and proceeded with repairs as soon as we were authorised and equipped to do so.
"Vehicle access was fully restored on 15 March 2025. We remain fully committed to supporting the reliability, safety, and performance of the parking system moving forward."
The Sun has also contacted Rathbone Square for comment.
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