Hospital parking mentioned on Sky News this morning.

Fruitcake

There was a short item about hospital parking in England and the millions of pounds in "fines" that have been made. Someone had contacted them to point out that not all hospital trusts run the parking and much of the money is going to private companies, not the NHS.
Mention was also made that this is only for England and the rules are different in Scotland.

People were asked to contact Sky News, about this.

The item I saw was at about 9.08 if anyone wants to have a look on catchup. Sky channel 501. I'm guessing they will come back to this story later this morning.

Sky "contact us" page.

https://news.sky.com/info/contact-us

Keep it short and factual. No ranting!

peter_the_piper

Its just a shame that the car parking fees(where applicable) have to be used to prop up the NHS Trusts. Seems to me that a wide ranging investigation is needed into the waste, goods and staff at top, as well as claiming back from EU.

Fruitcake

It is, but I see here an opportunity to get a message out to a wider audience about both hospital and private parking, but it needs to be succinctly done to get broadcast.
Jeremy Hunt's statement that NHS parking should be free being one of the first points to make.
Misuse of PPCs being the second.

I'm constructing a few points to fire off now.

beamerguy

Same in the DM today
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5216557/Hospitals-make-record-175m-car-parking-charges.html

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has previously admitted the fees were ‘unfair’. In 2014, he introduced guidelines urging NHS trusts to offer free or reduced parking for cancer patients, the disabled, relatives and staff.

But the rules were not legally binding and many trusts chose to ignore them, because the fees are an important source of income.

Clearly the NHS trusts do not consider Hunt as an
important person .... guess they are right ?

Fruitcake

I've sent my comments to Sky News and received an automated reply stating it will be read by the newscasters and editorial team.

I can do no more.

pappa_golf

made the BBC news online http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-birmingham-42457121?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5a43d003e4b0f9d014c4a04a%26Hospital%20parking%20league%20table%20revealed%26&ns_fee=0#post_5a43d003e4b0f9d014c4a04a


even mentioned in my local rag https://www.lep.co.uk/news/lancashire-hospitals-raise-millions-in-tax-on-sick-parking-fees-1-8930366

trisontana

Nobody seems to mention that there are two parts to hospital parking charges. There is the fee you pay to park then the fake fines raised by the PPC. These two need to be differentiated.

Coupon-mad

trisontana wrote: »

Nobody seems to mention that there are two parts to hospital parking charges. There is the fee you pay to park then the fake fines raised by the PPC. These two need to be differentiated.

Agreed, and it needs to be made clear that if the Hospital are declaring they take £xxx,xxx pa in 'fines' then that's only a share/percentage, and ScammersRUs are raking in at least the same sum (if not a bigger wedge) for no service whatsoever.

No point in ANY private parking firm being in NHS car parks. Hospitals are not a destination of choice for rogue parkers.