W-Park 4+

I have been to Westfield Stratford many times and since this W park has launched I need to think twice that I will go through the horrors of parking there which I never used to have when old system was working. First to go through the whole load of rubbish of installing the app etc which other reviewers also mentioned then on exiting the car park with confusion in mind that if it will be paid automatically through my card or should I pay at the kiosk!! Today the gates won’t open automatically like it used to without hassle. Had to press the help button waited for good 5/6 min to exit. On arriving home checked the account which didn’t show any transaction of parking plus the app showing ongoing parking which gave me a heart attack thinking it might be adding up while I’m at home!!!! Tried calling Westfield helpline, I was first in the queue waited there for good 10 minutes to be attended but then message came that due to unforeseen circumstances the call can’t be answered so try again later. So much of my time wasted in all of that and still not sure why the system which worked fine was switched to this awful W app. WHY??

The app clearly doesn’t work. It doesn’t make sense. What’s a pass? There are no clear instructions. Why is Bluetooth needed? The old system worked perfectly well. Are we supposed to be able drive straight in and out as before or are we supposed to make a selection by going to the app first? If so, it doesn’t make sense. It’s illegal to use your phone when you’re driving, as someone else here mentioned, so how is this actually supposed to work? Are you supposed to decide before you leave home? The old system using the website to register your cars and debit and credit cards was so simple and effective. That meant anyone insured to drive any of our cars could simply park, go about their business, and drive home knowing that it was all paid for. But now, each of us has to do a lot of work fiddling around with registering each mobile, going through registering payment cards… and then what? I’m still not sure. I give up. Someone needs to respond to everyone on here. Pathetic.

Second review (first was for an older version). Now, in addition to not working and apparently having been designed by someone who failed the self certified Apple UX design course, it’s stopped
me *paying for parking at all!!!*. Yes, this app is so bad that even if I don’t use it, it’s buggered the ticket machines too, so my even having told it about number plate stops barriers and payment kiosks from letting me pay for parking. Appalling. And what’s a “Pass”? Why does it show parking I’ve already paid for (with manual intervention by the customer service team) as open sessions? What the hell is “Import Parking with reg number”? Who on earth thought any of this would be quick, easy and make sense to a normal person. Heck, I’m confused with 25 years of systems engineering and app development behind me. No wonder Westfield has a constant stream of confused pensioners getting angry with the ticket machines since January.

I really, really hope someone is getting grief from Westfield management about this monumental screwup. It’s embarrassing.