‘No Plans’ For Further Supermarket Parking Restrictions Claims Tesco

Published on: 15 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 17 Jan, 2019

The Tesco supermarket in Ashenden Road, Guildford.

Tesco is denying that it is considering further parking restrictions at its store in Ashenden Road, Guildford, following its tightening up of the permissible parking time limit.

The supermarket car park is known to be frequently busy and it can take some time to exit during peak periods. The new restrictions would aim to ease pressure and congestion.

A spokesperson in the store said: “The car park has been really busy over the last three or four months. Many visitors to the hospital use the car park and it impacts on our customers when the car park is full.”

But social media posts speculated that Tesco will start to charge customers in March this year.

Options said to have been considered include further reducing the free parking period from two hours to one hour. Some signs in the car park confirm that the period has already been reduced to two hours while others still state three hours free parking.

Another possibility could be to introduce a ticket system, similar to the scheme at Waitrose in York Road, which would be free for Tesco customers with a shop receipt.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We have recently made changes to the parking at our Guildford superstore in order to ensure that our customers are able to park easily. Tesco customers are still able to use our car park free of charge for up to two hours. We currently have no plans to make any further changes to parking at the store.”

Any further restrictions on free parking in the area would put increased pressure on parking at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. The hospital struggles with parking, both for staff and visitors. Parking at the hospital was said to be the most expensive in the country for a one-hour stay (BBC report December 27 2018).

A spokesperson for the Royal Surrey said: “We do remind all visitors that the hospital has excellent public transport links and encourage patients and visitors to use these as widely as possible.”

Signs in the Tesco car park already show that the free parking period has been reduced to two hours. This conflicts with other signs which still show three hours.

Responses to ‘No Plans’ For Further Supermarket Parking Restrictions Claims Tesco

Bernard Parke Reply

January 16, 2019 at 10:35 am

I was also told by the staff that people using the university facilities also use this parking area.
C Barker Reply

January 16, 2019 at 5:51 pm

All the hospital need to do is build a multi-storey car park (like Frimley Park) on the land next to the incinerator, and move the helipad on the roof to Bannister’s Field. Surely if they use the money generated from the existing car park they will have the funds within a week.
Jane Hepburn Reply

January 16, 2019 at 9:56 pm

I think the idea of producing your shopping receipt is the best idea. Every now and again I used to like to go shopping and then visit the lovely Harris and Hoole for a coffee and read of the newspaper…sadly no more, afraid the deadly car parking hounds will get me. Not worth risking the fine.
Brian Holt Reply

January 17, 2019 at 3:14 pm

Why cannot the hospital be allowed to build a multi-storey car park between the back of the hospital and the railway? This would not be seen or obstruct anyone’s view.

The hospital keeps expanding and at the same time nothing is done to increase extra parking to cope with an increase in the number of people attending the hospital.

We understand the Guildford Borough Council will not allow it.
R Rossiter Reply

January 18, 2019 at 2:34 pm

Everyone’s getting the cart before the horse. The reason Tesco’s carpark gets used is the ridiculous parking fees at the hospital. If the fees were more reasonable and in 30 minute steps, people would park onsite.

I have to attend Royal Surrey a lot. If I visit my consultant, the minimum two hours can easily be eaten up waiting. If I visit the Physio, they run like clockwork and I’m in and out in 20 minutes but have paid for two hours?
Valerie Thompson Reply

January 18, 2019 at 3:26 pm

Unfortunately, the hospital parking is run by a company, not related to the hospital, which is why the hospital doesn’t get all the funds from the excessive charges.

What would be best is for the council to admit that the nearby Park & Ride is under-used and could take much of the parking needed by hospital staff and visitors. A charge could be made for parking, say £2 or £3 a visit and then the council could provide a shuttle bus to and from the car-park and the hospital, (it is rather too far to walk for the elderly, disabled and very young). The Park and ride facility could be abandoned completely, thereby saving a considerable sum on empty buses.
Linda Cooper Reply

January 21, 2019 at 3:05 pm

For people in Alfold, there is no bus service. Parking charges are too expensive especially after paying for petrol. When I need to attend the hospital we have to drive and park at Tesco’s. I always take the opportunity to shop in Tesco’s, putting car parking charges towards our shop; so Tesco’s help us. Thank you Tesco’s!