THE CHAOS which unfolded inside the car park at IKEA this (Sunday) afternoon was a traffic management problem, not the result of a car accident, police have said.
Queues of cars were seen trying to leave the car park this afternoon and IKEA announced on Twitter that a crash near the store was causing heavy traffic.
Some shoppers said they were stuck for more than two hours and warned residents to avoid the Calcot-based store.
However, Thames Valley Police (TVP) revealed the problems were nothing to do with a crash.
A police spokesman said: "This appears to be traffic management issues in a private car park rather than a police incident and I cannot see from our log that officers have attended a collision in this road."
#ikea Reading car park floor two pic.twitter.com/Yb95MLLrZ8
— George Ross (@mrgcross) September 3, 2017
@TVP_WestBerks people, please avd Ikea at all costs. Staff not preventing cars entering c/park, chaos! 2hr wait to exit. #ikeareading #ikea
— James Paton (@patonjames75) September 3, 2017
It is not the first time shoppers have been trapped inside the car park and IKEA had previously vowed to resolve the parking issue.
@IKEAUKSupport been stuck in ikea reading car park for over an hour, no staff, absolute chaos. Someone send food and water 😂
— georgia 🐡 (@GeorgiaaCxx) September 3, 2017
IKEA stated a collision close to the Pincents Kiln Industrial Park store worsened the delays.
There has been an accident on the roundabout near the Reading store, if this is the carpark you are referring to.
— IKEA UK (@IKEAUK) September 3, 2017
More follows.
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