Claims parking restrictions discriminate against Woking's Muslim community

[armadillo71]

A parking restriction in a Maybury car park discriminates against those attending Friday prayers, senior figures in Woking’s Muslim community claim.

They feel it is unfair people are allowed to park in spaces at Lion Retail Park for three hours, apart from on Fridays between 1pm and 4pm, when drivers can only leave their cars for an hour.

The car park is next to the Shah Jahan Mosque, in Oriental Road, where Muslims meet for Friday prayers just after 1pm.

This can last more than an hour, forcing worshippers who use the car park to rush out at the end of services, unable to converse at all with other community members afterwards.

Some have received tickets after the cameras of enforcement company ParkingEye caught them out, resulting in an £85 fine.

Shahid Azeem, chairman of Woking Asian Business Forum, said: “One hour isn’t enough for a Muslim at Friday prayers.

“I just feel that this is victimising people. There is no other reason why they would do this.”

 

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/claims-parking-restrictions-discriminate-against-9319524

 

 

 

 

Relates to this old thread;

 

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?405374-PE-sign.

[ericsbrother]

They should be forced to buy a drink to park there and then get the 3 hours. They dont have to drink it themselves, just buy one.

[unclebulgaria67]

The retail park is for shoppers and if you are not using it for that purpose then the car park owner is entitled to take necessary steps. the same approach would be taken if it related to a local Cristian church. It is up to the Mosque and local council to make sure adequate parking arrangements in that area.

[f16]

The retail park is for shoppers and if you are not using it for that purpose then the car park owner is entitled to take necessary steps. the same approach would be taken if it related to a local Cristian church. It is up to the Mosque and local council to make sure adequate parking arrangements in that area.

 

I could not agree more with that !!!

 

In this day and age with retail out lets paying ever increasing rents and struggling to keep a float with price wars and every shopper wanting to save "the last penny".

Why should the" genuine shopper" be "forced" to pay for parking else where Because the car park is full of "non shoppers" ?

 

The car park is" privately owned" and thus the "Land owner" can decide what "restrictions" he /she wishes to impose.

[SabreSheep]

caught them out, resulting in an £85 fine

 

 

ITS NOT A FINE!!!!!!!!!!

[DragonFly1967]

ITS NOT A FINE!!!!!!!!!!

 

Calm down dear

 

We know it's not a fine, and when people come here directly we can tell/educate them to that fact, but shouting at your telly (or a newspaper) isn't going to do you any good

[ashmk]

DIDUMS...

 

We have a mosque near us and the users of the place are a pain in the backside. They park all over the place, trash the grass verges and cause traffic chaos.

 

I would have the same restriction in place.