A "rogue" meet and greet car park near Manchester Airport has been shut down after a police crackdown. Two sites in Styal were targeted in an operation this summer after a wave of complaints.
Holidaymakers had often found the firms through online comparison sites, giving the impression that they are booking with professional, secure airport parking linked to the airport, Cheshire Police say.
Cheshire Constabulary led Operation Cicero, as part of a multi-agency purge against rogue airport meet and greet car parking firms. In June it resulted in two people being arrested. Officers swooped on two sites in Styal, just three miles from the airport after 55 complaints in just six months.
They included reports of cars being stolen, damaged, and even driven thousands of miles. One traveller said they returned from an eight-week trip to find 3,000 had been added to their mileage clock. Another said their bonnet had been stolen whilst there was a fire at one site in May where a number of cars were reported to have been damaged.
Many of the complaints related to a makeshift car park which had been set up in the grounds of a former country house at Lode Hill. Fifty police and council officers attended the site on June 21.
They included officers from both Cheshire Constabulary and Greater Manchester Police, along with partner agency staff, used their specialisms to identify any offences. Following the operation, officers have continued to work closely with their partners to explore what action could be taken.
As part of this, the force has been in liaison with the owner of the Lode Hill site, who had agreed to remove the current tenants, meaning that the car park operating at the site will be permanently closed.
Inspector Andrew Baker, Beat Manager at Macclesfield Local Policing Unit, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic result both for holidaymakers and for the local community, and I would like to thank the owner of this site for their co-operation. The car park that was operating from the site was simply not fit for purpose and not what customers though that they were paying for.
“Many people using this car park made their bookings through online comparison sites, believing that they were booking professional, secure airport parking which are linked to the airport. In reality, the Lode Hill site had no affiliation to the airport whatsoever, and the cars were simply dumped in muddy fields. Not only that, but the site also had a hugely detrimental impact on local the community.”
The final cars parked at Lode Hill were removed from the site last week and the owner of the land has now taken responsibility for the site.
Inspector Baker added: “While this car park has now been closed, there are still other rogue car parks operating in the region.
“Therefore, I would encourage anyone who is planning their holiday and looking to book a parking slot, to do their research, choose a reputable company and always book through an official website and don’t just go for the cheapest option.”
A Manchester Airport spokesperson added: “We are grateful to Cheshire Constabulary and its partner agencies for the work they are doing to tackle this issue and will continue to work with them to raise awareness of the risks posed by booking airport parking through these unscrupulous companies.
“In addition to our own official parking products, there are a number of reliable and reputable third-party providers located near the airport and we would always urge passengers to do their research before handing over their keys.
“We encourage customers to use initiatives such as Park Mark and the government-backed Buy with Confidence scheme to find a provider that has undergone a series of detailed checks and is committed to trading fairly.”
READ NEXT:
- Manchester Christmas Market stallholders defend BIG price hikes for sausages and booze at 2022 return
- Woman lured pal to house before her ex-boyfriend beat and robbed him at knifepoint
- Machete-wielding teen and his pal got into a brawl at JD Sports store packed with Christmas shoppers
- 'Inspirational' drummer 'made peace with death' before losing brain tumour battle aged 36
- Manchester trio unmasked as members of organised drugs gang - one stashed cocaine wraps up his bottom
