Fraud prompts payment changes at Brighton car parks

By Tatiana Aversa Sanchez

Shoppers are having to queue twice to leave some of Brighton’s busiest car parks after a spate of card fraud.

Until earlier this year it was possible to pay at the barriers in the Churchill Square 1 and 2 car parks.

Now drivers often have to queue at a pay machine and then again at the exit, especially as some drivers cause delays because they aren’t aware that the system has changed.

Churchill Square shopping centre management said that people should be aware because there are signs at the entrance barriers.

And that the changes had been brought in to protect customers.

Magid Ezabidy, 24, from Hove, said: ‘”It’s annoying because before was so fast and easy to pay and go.”

Magid Ezabidy

Mr Ezabidy said: “Now, I am stuck in the queue waiting to pay with my card.’’

Another frequent user of the car parks, Maria Kennedy, of Tivoli Crescent North, Brighton, said: ‘’I am really upset about this, I find it extremely annoying.

‘’I used to go straight to my car and go, but now I have to wait in a long queue and then everybody leaves at the same time and there is even more queuing at the exit.’’

Another shopper said: “I’m ill so it’s rather inconvenient for me. I used to go straight to the car but now I get stuck in a queue of people.”

She said that her condition made it hard for her to stand for any length of time.

Churchill Square said that the changes were made in the summer because some people had used cards fraudulently at the exit barriers where they did not need to enter a PIN.

A member of staff said: “The changes were made earlier this year because there was fraudulent activity happening and so these changes have been made to secure people from fraudulent activity.

“Signs have been put up at the barriers to make customers aware that they can no longer pay at the exits.”