THE parking company which has been dumped by the owners of Westgate Car Park maintain it has always operated fairly and correctly.

Property management company MJ Mapp has taken back control of Westgate Car Park in Basildon from Smart Parking UK, shutting down all ticket machines.

Smart Parking has received a huge amount of criticism since introducing ANPR cameras at the car park in July last year, with residents and shoppers claiming to have been fined despite paying for parking and the payment machines not working correctly.

And in December, it was revealed the company did not have planning permission for the cameras after submitting a retrospective application.

A spokesman for Smart Parking UK told the Echo: "During 2018, Smart Parking introduced an automatic number plate recognition system, linked to pay and display machines at Westgate Car Park in Basildon.

"This system was introduced to manage the site in a fair and effective manner and to address systemic abuse at the car park.

"Having been audited on several occasion the site was operating correctly and within regulated guidelines.

"Indeed, results thus far have shown increased numbers of motorists utilising the facility, with a vast proportion of users doing so without any issue whatsoever.

"Unfortunately, the current owners of the site have now asked that we cease operations and as such, we are reviewing our options with a view to defining our next steps’’.

Basildon's ruling Conservative group has claimed credit for the latest development.

In a statement, the group said: "Basildon Borough Conservatives are delighted that Basildon's two Conservative MPs, John Baron and Stephen Metcalfe, working with Conservative colleagues on Basildon Council, were successful in convincing the owner of Westgate Car Park to take legal action to remove Smart Parking as the operator.

"MPs and councillors across the borough have been inundated with cases from residents who fell foul of the sharp practices in operation at the site, causing huge reputational damage to Westgate Shopping Centre and to the vitality and viability of Basildon town centre.

"Although that damage will take time to repair, Basildon Conservatives welcome the removal of Smart Parking, which is a victory for all the people who came together to oppose their unfair practices.

"We look forward to a new operator welcoming people back to Basildon Town Centre and working in a fair and reasonable manner."

The issue was raised in parliament after MPs received scores of complaints from residents, with more than 5,500 joining a Facebook group since September to combat the parking charges.