Glitch causes all of Truro's car parks to 'close' - and people are not happy

Truro has been thrown into chaos due to an IT glitch that wreaked havoc with car park signage, causing frustration for both traders and visitors. The electronic signs mistakenly showed car parks as being closed, which deterred potential shoppers and commuters. Cornwall Live readers have been having their say in our comments section.

The blunder happened at a time when the high street is already struggling with financial issues, including high rents and rates. The incorrect information on the signs led to complaints on social media, with people questioning the impact on local businesses.

The signs, which normally indicate how many car parking spaces are available at each Cornwall Council car park, showed Lemon Quay, Garras Wharf and Edward Street facilities as being closed with Moorfield car park only having 'limited' spaces, even though all were open.

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One commenter, Brightspark said: "Don’t you just love technology. Probably the worst thing that’s ever happened, from banking to airports and car parks. Nothing but trouble."

Yerboy added: "Why on earth did they just not allow free parking until resolved? It is becoming unbearable living in this country. All controlled by IT. Wherever you are this faceless unaccountable control has to come to an end. The ordinary citizens are treated with utter contempt."

John04041992 replied: "Free parking! Are you having a laugh..." And Gpz900r also chipped in with: "Even if they DID offer free parking on those days, how would people know about it if the signs were saying the car parks were closed?"

CornwallEngland said: "For those who live to the east of Truro, Exeter and Bristol are much better shopping experiences and I have never experienced any parking difficulties in either city."

Gully sadly said: "Truro is dead on its backside, nothing worth the hassle of getting there, much like every other town in the county thanks to B.I.D groups, town and county councils. Every policy and action has been anti-car, anti-parking, anti-betterment, anti-business. It's not consumers' or businesses' fault towns are dying."

Angow added: "Doesn't matter much, we all know that the council doesn't welcome motorists, so I stay away anyway."

Ratface69 said: "Saturday we made a last-minute decision to visit Truro, signage was all turned off, chaos all the way past the hospital down station hill and down to M&S, not a great start to a day in Truro."

Vanlifeheaven commented: "It’s naive to think Truro will have any money spent on it at all after the election."

Triggerandhisdoggo added: "They’ll pedestrianise the city centre soon, and that will kill the rest of the shops."

Don O’Treply replied to Triggerandhisdoggo with: "The best bit of the city centre is already pedestrianised. Just get the train, it’s so easy."

Baggyboatee said: "All very well having technology operating things but when they go wrong, it’s like we cannot cope and the world has ended. Surely they could have put up some sort of message saying the system wasn’t working."

Mick6161 replied: "Exactly! Technology is great until it isn't and then everything falls apart. Our increasing reliance on it is not necessarily a good thing!"

Let us know what you think the solution to this growing issue is, by joining in the conversation below or HERE.