VIDEO: Calls for car park redesign after lorry '˜crashes' into car

A woman fears the layout of a Worthing supermarket car park is unsafe after her car was hit by a delivery lorry.
Jobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incidentJobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incident
Jobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incident

Jobina Tinnemans said the large number of parking spaces at Lidl in North Street means there is not enough room for lorries to manoeuvre – and fears an accident which could leave someone injured.

The 47-year-old had visited her favourite supermarket for a lunchtime shop in October last year, only to return to the car park to find her car had been hit.

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She said: “It was completely crashed, the whole front was off. I was very upset. It was the best car I’ve ever managed to buy and I only had it for a few months.”

Jobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incidentJobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incident
Jobina Tinnemans no longer shops at Lidl since the incident

She believes there are too many car parking spaces in the triangular car park.

She said: “All they need to do is reallocate a few car spaces into lorry turning bays.

"But they don’t want to miss out on car parking spaces. Car accidents happen, but this is totally avoidable.”

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Due to a low insurance payout, the incident left Ms Tinnemans, who works in the music industry, without a car over Christmas, meaning she was unable to visit friends in rural areas and had to cancel a hiking trip to Wales.

Jobina Tinnemans outside Lidl in WorthingJobina Tinnemans outside Lidl in Worthing
Jobina Tinnemans outside Lidl in Worthing

She said she no longer shops in Lidl after no action was taken after the incident.

She said: “I really regret that I can’t shop there anymore but I don’t feel they have treated this correctly. I’m really disappointed.”

The incident could have had serious consequences, she said.

“What if I was undoing the shopping in the boot when the truck reversed into my car?” she said.

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“It would have squashed me in between my own car and the wall behind it.”

A spokesman from Lidl said: “We were very sorry to hear of this incident.

“Due to the constraints of its current location there are, unfortunately, no immediate options available to extend and make improvements to the carpark, however we are actively exploring various options to relocate and expand the store.

“We thank customers for their patience.”

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