A Tesco customer who scraped his car on a 'badly designed' trolley bay barrier was told that it was his own fault and he won't be getting a payout.

Driver Paul Gadd complained to Tesco after colliding with the barrier at the Cleckheaton store which he says could barely be seen due to its low height. He said several other drivers have clattered into the metal barriers, leaving behind bits of their cars at the scene.

After complaining, he says Tesco got the wrong end of the stick by assuming his car had been hit by a loose trolley. He says the response he got was 'confused' and 'childish'.

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He was then astounded to see that bright yellow and black posts had been put up next to trolley bays, apparently to make them more visible to drivers. Paul says the barriers were improved after his prang. It is believed the changes to the trolley bays were made in April, around a month after Paul's collision.

Paul Gadd took this photo of the trolley bay at Tesco in Cleckheaton before it was modified

Paul, 49, from Cleckheaton, recalls hearing an 'almighty crunch' when his Citroen C4 hit the metal guard as he tried to leave the car park back in March. He has complained to Tesco several times since then but the company has not accepted it was at fault.

He says the repairs will cost 'a few quid' but he hasn't had a quote yet. He has been left angry and frustrated by what happened and by the complaints process.

"I have been trying to get them to fix it. They would not accept liability. They were making excuses when I was trying to explain to them."

In June, Tesco appeared to get the wrong end of the stick when they told Paul by letter that "we are sorry to hear that your vehicle was damaged during an incident with a trolley..."

Damage to Paul Gadd's car after he hit a trolley bay barrier in Cleckheaton Tesco

The letter said it could not take responsibility for "the wind catching an abandoned trolley" or if customers left them in an unsafe place. It said: "Unfortunately, this means that we cannot offer to pay for any damage on this occasion."

Paul continued to complain and he also sent Tesco photographs of his car and the trolley bay.

In a reply in August, Tesco said: "Thank you for the images, we have investigated this and this is still a rejection due to the trolley bay being a fixed object in the designated area clear and visable with hazard tape on the barriers."

A Tesco spokesperson said: "The safety of our customers and colleagues is our number one priority and we are confident that the parking facilities at our Cleakheaton (sic) Superstore are safe and easy to use."

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