I PARKED up in the Dunfermline Kingsgate Shopping Centre recently for approximately 30 minutes. When I returned to the payment machines, only one was working on the first level and two machines on the second level; both of these areas had long queues and I had to wait around 20 minutes to get to the machine. 

By this time, I had exceeded the half-hour limit and instead of paying £2 I had to pay £3.50. I attempted to pay by cash with four £1 coins, this did not register and I had to cancel the operation, start again and pay by card so what should have been a £2 charge was now in effect £7.50 as I did not get my cash back. 

During the time I was waiting, there must have been about 10 people in front of me and five or six behind and growing all the time. So this situation is not unique to myself and it therefore means that the operator profits greatly from these delays. 

The whole automated process is slow and time-consuming, putting a couple of humans in place would not only give some much-needed employment but make the whole process much more customer-friendly. 

I complained and have had feeble apology and a small refund. I suggest that all those held up by the lack of working machines bombard the operator with complaints and don't let them off the hook. It may only be £1 or £2 per person but it must mount up to a considerable amount over the course of the week. 

Like many town centres, Dunfermline is desperate to attract customers back to the high street, to do this there needs to be adequate, affordable, easy parking. 

So log on and complain at: UKcutomercomplaints@apcoa.com 

Jim Roche,
Townhill Road,
Dunfermline