Anger at fee for trapped park users

A woman whose daughter's car was among five locked in at an Auckland park is upset that the drivers were asked to pay $50 each to have the gates opened.

Wendy Hughes' 16-year-old daughter Georgie was at Cornwall Park on Tuesday for her daily run.

Just after 6pm, she returned to her car to go home.

But the car she was using - her mother's - was not going anywhere without $50.

Georgie and the other motorists found themselves locked into the park after they failed to leave before the closing time of 6pm.

Although that is the official time that the gates close, security guards usually allow up to half an hour's grace to let people out.

The security company was contacted and a guard arrived to release the cars - but each driver was told that the $50 had to be paid first.

Mrs Hughes said she was shocked when her daughter phoned her.

"She called me off somebody else's phone saying there were five of them trapped and they needed $50 up front to get their car out - that's $50 per vehicle. Who carries that amount of cash while walking in the park?

"I couldn't believe it. They would be making $250 just like that, when they could easily be paid the one $50 and let everybody's cars out."

Mrs Hughes said she called the Cornwall Park Trust Board and was told that the penalty was set by the security company.

Mrs Hughes called the company, Darien Rush Security, and was told her daughter had to make the payment if she wanted to get her vehicle out that night.

On principle, she said, she went to the park to pick her daughter up and not pay the fine, returning to collect her car the next morning.

Michael Ayrton, of the Cornwall Park Trust Board, said the penalty was not enforced by the board, but was set by the security company - which is contracted by the board.

Mr Ayrton, the park director, admitted that the board often received complaints about the charge, but said it was not the security guard, or the company, at fault.

"The signage is clear on all the entrances - 6 o'clock closing time. The security guard usually allows 15 minutes to half an hour's grace to give people the chance to leave.

"My advice is to read the signage."

Mr Ayrton said $50 might appear to be a hefty price, but that was what many other security companies charged for callouts.

Mrs Hughes said it was unfair that each vehicle had to be penalised.

Darien Rush Security did not return calls yesterday.