Parking Ticket at Hospital

Coupon-mad

saving_pennies wrote: »

Thank you for your responses.

When I sent the letter to the hospital security I paid extra so it had to be signed for, so I know they got the letter! I had meant to chase it up before, but to be honest, with a disability that restricts the amount of activity I can do this task fell of the radar until I got the reminder from the parking agency. I will definitely chase it up now. I will also write to the 'Equality Act Compliance Manager' as suggested - I assume the hospital must have one? I might call and find out if I can get a name. I guess there is no harm in sending it to the overall hospital boss if I can find out their details.

I shall keep all the PPC letters for future reference and evidence. I will mention the harrassment and victimisation. Not sure I want to sue the. I'm not looking for compensation, I just want the PPC to disappear. Plus it would be good if they hospital provided accessible parking ticket machines.

There is another sign I have seen at the hospital before stating the cars in the disabled bay who do not pay for parking will be towed away. I thought that cars displaying a disabled badge could not be clamped or towed away. I might be wrong and I've seen conflicting information on the internet. Does anyone know?

Yes, I suggested addressing it to that person - even though they may not have someone with that exact job title. They do have to have someone who is responsible for Equality Act compliance and they have a duty of care to you.

Do not forget you have the upper hand here and can at least mention that you know you could sue them if they do not handle this properly now. I would give them one more chance to apologise and address it. If they say it's nothing to do with them then tell them that if you decide to sue over this, they will have to learn the hard way that, legally, it has everything to do with them.

And a car displaying a Blue Badge can't be clamped or towed, you are correct.

give_them_FA

I'd be just suing them, were it me. That illegal notice is the last straw..

then you could be saving_pounds!

saving_pennies

saving_pounds - love it!

I shall mention my right to sue them and won't let them know I probably won't carry it out. I am still waiting for compensation following a RTA 2.5 years ago and don't want to be seen as someone out to make money from other people's mistakes. This situation is more about the principle.

A friend told me the parking agency might ban me from the car park. Not sure how likely that is. But in a few months I am getting a wheelchair assessible van from motability which means I will be able to take my powerchair out with me. At the moment my car is only big enough to take a manual chair and I cannot self-propel using my arms and use my feet to slowly move me along over relatively short distances. So even if they try to ban me I will have a new number plate shortly

Kite2010

Sue them, then maybe someone at the hospital might see sense and sack the parasites.

give_them_FA

Trying to ban you is extremely rare and is generally only tried if someone is getting a whole catalogue of tickets because they know they can safely be ignored. Whether the parking firm can do it is a moot point because it's the landowner's prerogative.

So I very much doubt they would, but if they did, it would simply be walking into a harassment claim.

And it's not people's MISTAKES. The parasites are only interested in money and ride rough shod over peoples' rights and feelings! It's more about making them pay, give the money to charity if you feel guilty keeping it. If they got sued more often they might not be quite so arrogant.

saving_pennies

Hi everyone,

Before I wrote to the hospital to chase the matter and also write to Equality Act Compliance Manager I thought I would go to the car park and take photos of the location of paying machines. I had meant to return shortly after getting the ticket to take photos of the position of the paying machine. It is a pity I didn't as when I went to the hospital yesterday they have a brand new paying machine by the disabled bays! I spoke to security who said it was installed recently, about 6 weeks ago and certainly not more than 8 weeks ago. How convenient is that?? It is about 9 weeks since I got the ticket!

My first thoughts were it was installed after the received my letter but apparently security did not receive my letter (despite it needing a signature!) and the new paying machines were ordered in January.

I managed to get a direct email to the security manager and sent a copy of the letter.

The new paying machine is in the place where the sign (about towing cars away) was. At first I thought they had removed the sign but later noticed a similar sign, this one saying the area is no parking and cars will be towed away including disabled ones. I assume this must only apply if people do not park in the marked bays and if they are obstructing an ambulance. Although the large black and yellow parking signs (for parking within marked bays) mention towing away as an enforcement.

taffy056

Absolute disgrace that a hospital is charging patients to park, this is a tax on the sick and those visiting them. The fact that they have an illegal sign saying they will tow disabled vehicles away even if they are not obstructing an ambulance bay is despictible.

They are not complying with the equalities act, they are not making adjustments for disabled drivers, this is private land where the blue badge scheme doesn't even apply. Send a letter and demand that they make the necessary adjustments required by law for disabled drivers.


If you get no satisfaction from them you have 6 years to sue the hospital and parking company, though they won't exist in that time so you are left with the hospital only.


As my reply to your PM just ignore the parking company, as you can see appeals do not work, they are in fact acting illegally as they are not making adjustments for your disablement, just keep the letters received and build up a case if you do decide to sue them both.

give_them_FA

It makes little difference whether the new machine was ordered before or after your problem. Even if it was before, it then becomes your case that the Hospital had recognised that its reasonable adjustment for the disabled was defective and was in the process of remedying it; yet, despite having recognised the deficiency, they continued to harass and discriminate against the disabled through its agent.

Does not assist them at all in my view.

saving_pennies

Thank you for your further comments.

Following my email to the security manager, this morning I received a phone call saying the ticket has been cancelled and an email confirming this in writing. I told the manager I had no intention of paying the ticket but at least now I should not get any further letters from the parking company. I shall keep all correspondence in case I need to refer to it in the future.

As for the disability issues - I need to do some more research so I can write an informed letter rather than just a disabled person having a rant at the hospital.

saving_pennies

Hmmmm, just came across this:

"Although vehicles displaying the badge cannot legally be wheel clamped on the road, you CAN be clamped/towed away on private property (i.e. off road parking etc.)"

taken from http://www.bluebadgenetwork.org.uk/whatbluebadge.htm

Any comments?