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Vehicles to be freed from car park after two years Van freed after being trapped in car park for more than two years
(about 5 hours later)
The mechanical stacked car park was fixed in March after more than two years (image not of Rathbone Square parking system) HCS Furniture's van had not left the carpark stack since December 2022
Vehicles trapped in a central London mechanical stacked car park are being released after more than two years. A family business has regained its van after it was trapped in a central London car park for nearly two and a half years.
An email, seen by BBC London, has been sent to vehicle owners by the management company for Rathbone Square, CBRE. It said three-hour slots would be available from Thursday until 23 May for collections to be facilitated. Steve Davies and Mark Lucas collected the vehicle from Rathbone Square's mechanical stacking car park on Thursday afternoon.
Small business co-owners Mark Lucas and Steve Davies, whose then-new Vauxhall Vivaro van became trapped in the building complex near Oxford Street in December 2022, said the saga had left them more than £46,000 out of pocket. Mr Davies said he was glad to finally have the van back but HCS Furniture's "coffers are now fairly low" after spending close to £50,000 on renting, then buying, a new van.
CBRE declined to comment on what caused the car park malfunction and whether owners could claim for financial losses. Rathbone Square's management, CRBE, declined to comment - but the BBC has seen an email that confirmed other trapped vehicles will be released over the next month.
A resident in the Rathbone Square development told BBC London up to 40 vehicles might be trapped. CBRE did not respond when asked to confirm this number. One resident in the Rathbone Square development told BBC London up to 40 vehicles were trapped in the stack - but CBRE did not respond when asked to confirm.
A stacked car park is a system in which cars are parked on top of each other, using mechanical platforms and lifts, in order to make best use of the available space. A stacked car park is a system in which cars are parked on top of each other using mechanical platforms and lifts to make the most of the available space.
The email sets out the "step-by-step guide to vehicle retrieval" and states the "car stacker will remain closed to all vehicles, to allow vehicle owners time to retrieve their vehicles". The email, which set out the "step-by-step guide to vehicle retrieval" said the car stacker will remain closed to allow owners to retrieve their vehicles.
Mr Davies, co-owner of HCS Furniture in Buckinghamshire, said it had been a "long time coming" but he and his business partner were "very excited" to be collecting the van - however, he is unsure what condition its battery will be in. Mr Davies said the resolution had been a "long time coming" - after his van became trapped in December 2022.
The mechanical stacked car park was fixed in March after more than two years (library image)
Mr Davies and Mr Lucas had been concerned the battery of their electric van would not work, but Mr Lucas said: "It fired up and it had enough juice to drive itself out of the bay - which we're very pleased about as it could've been quite awkward otherwise."
Steve Davies's business had to buy a new van to replace their trapped oneSteve Davies's business had to buy a new van to replace their trapped one
"We're going to get it low-loaded so that we can get it back to our place to make sure it's OK, rather than risk driving it in whatever state it is in," he said. Mr Davies said the van will be taken for servicing and assessment of any damage.
"The first thing we're going to do is is take it down to the Vauxhall garage that we got it from so that they can service it and do a diagnostic test on the battery and to find out if it's suffered at all." Additional cost of renting the low-loader lorry and servicing the van will need to be assessed before his business can put in a final claim, Mr Davies said.
The additional cost of renting the low-loader lorry and servicing the van will need to be assessed before the business can put in a final claim, Mr Davies said. "I've taken a few knocks in the 40 years I've had the business but this has been the biggest and the coffers are fairly low at the moment," he added.
Lauren Kennedy, a mechanic based in Finchley, said the owners could find their vehicles in varying conditions.Lauren Kennedy, a mechanic based in Finchley, said the owners could find their vehicles in varying conditions.
"They're definitely going to have flat batteries, that's for sure. But they're also going to possibly have flat tyres, perished tyres, seized brakes." "They're definitely going to have flat batteries, that's for sure. But they're also going to possibly have flat tyres, perished tyres, seized brakes," she said.
People with keyless systems may also struggle to get into their car if the batteries are flat. Mark Lucas said he hopes the "end is in sight" for the whole saga
Ms Kennedy said the drivers will probably need recovery teams with them to get their vehicles out and transported home. Derek Millard-Smith, a solicitor specialising in parking law, said as well as any direct monetary costs incurred, owners may be able to claim for the inconvenience caused and "loss of enjoyment" of their vehicles.
Derek Millard-Smith, a solicitor specialising in parking law, said as well as any direct monetary costs incurred, the owners may also be able to claim for the inconvenience caused and "loss of enjoyment" of their vehicles.
"It's quantifying that time, which is the nature of any civil claim that you'd have to set out what you think your losses were," he said."It's quantifying that time, which is the nature of any civil claim that you'd have to set out what you think your losses were," he said.
"And it is for the other side to say that they weren't that much if they didn't want to pay that much out." It remains unclear which organisation will be held liable for any possible compensation pay outs.
Double Parking Systems, which did not install but maintains the automated system at Rathbone Square, confirmed to the BBC last week that the parking system had been operational since 15 March. The BBC understands up to 40 vehicles were left trapped in the now-repaired car parking system
Mr Davies says he doesn't know what state the van will be in after so long Double Parking Systems, which did not install, but does maintain, the automated system at Rathbone Square, confirmed to the BBC the parking system had been operational since 15 March.
Mr Davies said the whole experience had been "dreadful", in particular the poor communication they have had from CBRE.Mr Davies said the whole experience had been "dreadful", in particular the poor communication they have had from CBRE.
"If they'd just communicated better and told us what was really happening, it wouldn't have been so traumatic," he said."If they'd just communicated better and told us what was really happening, it wouldn't have been so traumatic," he said.
BBC London has contacted CBRE several times since early April but the firm would only confirm that the car park system was now fixed. Despite the experience, Mr Davies said if the insurance claim can be processed in a quicker fashion "everything will come up roses".
Mr Lucas added: "I'm relieved that we've actually got it out of the stacking system and onto a low loader.
"We believe there's an end insight to this whole saga."
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