Shoppers: iced up car parks 'dangerous' (From Bucks Free Press)

Shoppers: iced up car parks 'dangerous'

4:20pm Monday 21st December 2009 in

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SHOPPERS have inundated a Marlow trader with complaints about council car parks left to become “ice rinks”.

Mekong co-owner Adam Marlow, 27, said he has been overwhelmed by the number of customers coming into his Spittal Street shop with tales of near misses and people falling over.

He slammed Wycombe District Council's parking services, who he said had shown no interest when he rang on Saturday morning to flag up the problem, saying it should be paid for through the business rates.

Mr Marlow said: “We've had so many customers complain about it, you wouldn't believe – they have said it to us it's so dangerous in the car parks. You get there and it's like an ice rink.

“They are absolutely lethal – lots of people falling over and near misses.

“Its especially bad as its the busiest time of year when we got most trade, I think it's keeping people away as well.

“The amount of business rates we pay and they can't even be bothered to do this.”

Only the small section of the Riley Road car park, owned by Waitrose, has been cleared, Mr Marlow said.

He said:“Why can't the council do their own car parks when Waitrose have done theirs?”

Mr Marlow's partner Tish McDonald added: “Saturday morning was dreadful, the car parks and all the pavements were ice.”

Wycombe District Council spokesman Leanne Watson said: “Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to constantly monitor the effects of the adverse weather conditions on our car parks.

“However, we are aware of the conditions and urge people to be careful when using the council’s car parks as surfaces may still be slippery.”