Repeated hospital parking fines for taxi driver working for ambulance service

Treesrgreen

Hello all at MSE!

Regretably, my first post is a question about multiple parking fines, but I am rather desperate to get this matter resolved.

I am a taxi driver and regularly do work for the NHS hospital transport service via another company. This involves the dropping off and collecting of patients.

Only one hospital in particular has been a problem and I have now ammassed four parking fines while I help the patients, many of whom are seriously ill and cannot walk, into and out of the hospital in wheelchairs. I am not on the hospital premises for long but I sometimes go over the 20 minute waiting limit while looking for patients that are not where they are supposed to be or they are delayed waiting for a doctor to discharge them or awaiting medication.

I took this matter to the Ombudsman, explaining the situation, that I need to visit this hospital for work purposes, but I can only guess that they didn't read my letter properly as they said that I must pay the fines. How can this be right?

The problem is, this is crippling my income to such an extent that I may be out of business very soon.

PLEASE tell me that there is something I can do about this. How do I challenge the parking company? Can I challenge the Ombudsman? Am I now forced to pay the fines since I took the matter further to the Ombudsman?

Thank you for any advice.

Alison.

Half_way

1: These are not fines
2: what do you mean by the ombudsman??
3: are you familair with the NHS pakring principles for staff, patients and visitors? https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles
4: with the above in mind, have you complained to the NHS trust(s) in question - such as PALS?
5: have you actualy paid an of these charges??? ( you shouldnt pay a penny)

Redx

which Parking company ?

Which Hospital ?

by Ombudsman , do you actually mean POPLA ?

stick to the facts and tell us the information , dont keep it back, it wont help

you should be complaining to PALS and the trust to get them cancelled , plus you should insist that the trust tell the Parking company to put your VRM on the whitelist of exempt vehicles, to stop it from happening in the future

be proactive, or you will drown in the mud , you should not be paying at all

Umkomaas

The most important fact you have omitted - which parking company?

Have you complained to the hospital and asked them to get the tickets cancelled?

Have you threatened to remove your services?

Treesrgreen

Thank you so much for your speedy replies.

My apologies for using the term ombudsman. I sometimes use this term. I did in fact mean POPLA and it was POPLA who told me that I must pay the fines in full.

The hospital in question is the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire. The parking company is Parking Eye.

As for understanding the principles of parking for staff, patients and visitors, well, I knew that I had 20 minutes. I have investigated this kind of information and no other hospital enforces these rules so vigourously. Boston's Pilgrim Hospital seems to be a law unto itself. Parking Eye have threatened to take me to court should I not pay the fines. OK, I now see that they are not fines as such, but more akin to invoices. I am slowly trying to get my head around this and I thank you all for pointing me in the right direction.

I don't know PALS - I will investigate. Thank you.

The whitelisting is something I have looked at but it has not been necessary for any of the other hospitals (There are about a dozen) which I regularly visit. Also, thank you for the tip about getting in touch with the trust. As for removing my services, this is my bread an butter and while I understand that this could be a useful tactic for rectifying this situation, I would be too scared that it would backfire in my face and that I would lose the work altogether.

Thank you again. Alison.

Redx

nobody told you they were fines , because they are not fines

they are Parking Charge (pcn) Invoices, nothing more

POPLA did not tell you to pay , they mentioned that they are still outstanding and advised that they should be paid , not MUST be paid, they cannot force you to pay anyone at all, only a judge can state that you MUST pay them , in a Judgment, in court (so not MUST)

you cannot appeal a POPLA decision, but you can challenge it in court, when you defend against the pcn`s

google PALS for this hospital, complain to your MP as well, start being pro active

I suggest you get the vehicles (s) whitelisted at all of them ASAP , to avoid any more, because it will keep happening , so fix the broken pipe asap, then do the mopping up

waamo

You need to act sharpish on this. Parking Eye will follow through on their threats to go to court.

Involve the hospital CEO if necessary.

Fruitcake

Complain to your MP and the PM. Mr Johnson has promised to resolve this sort of thing so here is an early opportunity for him to do so.

Tell local and national press.

Get the vehicle whitelisted but don't take another job at this hospital until you have a promise in writing that the charges will be cancelled, and you will not get any more.
Tell the hospital why you are withdrawing your services.

Get pics of the site and signage as soon as possible in case parking lie take you to court.

Treesrgreen

Thanks all once again. I will get a letter drafted immediately and act on your instructions. Not sure if Mr Johnson would take an interest, but you never know.

What a great place this is. This forum was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad I wrote to you. Thank you so much again.

Alison.

Fruitcake

Boris recently announced a new parking policy for hospitals which I believe includes free parking for staff (look it up). I would suggest you qualify as (support) staff, so yes, I really would write to him.

Tell him you have stopped work at this hospital as a result of these unfair charges from unregulated parking scammers. Copy the hospital trust/manager in on your letter to the PM.

FestiveJoy

Treesrgreen wrote: »

Hello all at MSE!

Regretably, my first post is a question about multiple parking fines, but I am rather desperate to get this matter resolved.

I am a taxi driver and regularly do work for the NHS hospital transport service via another company. This involves the dropping off and collecting of patients.

Only one hospital in particular has been a problem and I have now ammassed four parking fines while I help the patients, many of whom are seriously ill and cannot walk, into and out of the hospital in wheelchairs. I am not on the hospital premises for long but I sometimes go over the 20 minute waiting limit while looking for patients that are not where they are supposed to be or they are delayed waiting for a doctor to discharge them or awaiting medication.

I took this matter to the Ombudsman, explaining the situation, that I need to visit this hospital for work purposes, but I can only guess that they didn't read my letter properly as they said that I must pay the fines. How can this be right?

The problem is, this is crippling my income to such an extent that I may be out of business very soon.

PLEASE tell me that there is something I can do about this. How do I challenge the parking company? Can I challenge the Ombudsman? Am I now forced to pay the fines since I took the matter further to the Ombudsman?

Thank you for any advice.

Alison.

You know what they say about those who continue to do the same thing and expect to obtain a different result.

Just buy a ticket in future

Patient car parking at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston costs £1.70 for 0-1 hours, £4.20 for 1-4 hours and £5 for over 4 hours. A daily charge of £1.90 per day has been implemented for Blue Badge holders. Concessions are available for those receiving some benefits, cancer patients and regular visitors.


You can also pay using the good2go app.

https://www.nhs.uk/services/hospitals/facilities/defaultview.aspx?id=1271