Mr McDonald

This may or may not be Northumbria but I have received a pre appointment leaflet from them which states you must register the vehicle on or before the visit by phone to parking eye, by completing the form that came with the leaflet, or online.

I assume that this actually makes no differece and they are still breaking the BPA code of practice?

I also wondered if this leaflet was an attempt to prevent any appeals on the basis of not having clear signage. If they've told you beforehand then does the signage argument still apply?

I have sent an email to the address provided which is [EMAIL="carparking@northumbria.nhs.uk"]carparking@northumbria.nhs.uk[/EMAIL] simply asking why they are exploiting their vunerable clients and subjecting them to the harrassment which is commonplace with Parking Eye. I also asked for a copy of the contract under FOI.

Depending on opinion on the leaflet here I might tell them that they (PE) are in fact breaking their own code of practice regardless of what information is sent prior to hospital visits.

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

Absolutely, and don't be fobbed off by them trying to make you jump through ridiculous hoops. The CoP is quite clear. If PE's method of enforcement is deficient in that it can't distinguish between a blue badge and no blue badge, that's 100% their problem, and not yours.

I'm not actually a blue badge holder and I came to this part of the forum by chance as I haven't had one of the nice letters people are receiveing

BUT I hate it when companies, or anyone for that matter, are clearly just out to milk as many people as they can for as much as they can. I'm even more sickened by the organisations who are letting their customers be fleeced by these parasites and I include us all as 'customers' of NHS trusts.

I've sent two emails now to carparking at northumbria nhs and I'll post any reponse I may get. The second is basically Hovite's post above with your comment on 100% their problem added.

I'm tempted to start a one man campaign against this NHS trust.

Davidmc1948 wrote: »

Thank you for your response this is the email I received from the trust: can it be legal for them to apply this,

We have installed a vehicle number plate recognition system therefore to avoid paying charges blue badge holders need to register their badge and car registrations to avoid paying to park. You can still attend the hospitals without registering but you would have to pay for parking when you visit, by registering you will not need to pay when you visit. You can register via intranet at the link below or telephone 0191 293 4353

You need to get the correct contact for the specific hospital. If North Tyneside you can see http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4763643 for inspiration - the facilities manager was the contact used in this case.

At the same time you need to appeal to Parking Eye - please see other threads about how to do that, or wait for one of the experts here to spell it out for you.

Davidmc1948 wrote: »

Thank you for your response this is the email I received from the trust: can it be legal for them to apply this,

We have installed a vehicle number plate recognition system therefore to avoid paying charges blue badge holders need to register their badge and car registrations to avoid paying to park. You can still attend the hospitals without registering but you would have to pay for parking when you visit, by registering you will not need to pay when you visit. You can register via intranet at the link below or telephone 0191 293 4353

This is not legal, no, because this is a breach of the Equality Act 2010 to treat you adversely now they know you were entitled to park in a disabled bay and have free parking like any other disabled visitor. You/your wife didn't realise (and you can blame PE's lack of clear signs) never mind whether the appointment letter stated it...seeing as you both had more important things on your mind.

Just send a challenge to Parking Eye as per usual:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=63033637&posted=1

I would add an extra paragraph to the usual appeal points about there having been no loss because your wife was a 'protected disabled' patient who was admitted to hospital (enclose proof) and had no way to move the car. You can also say that 'the signage adjacent to the disabled bays is required - under the current BPA Code of Practice - to state the full t&cs of parking at a height that a driver can see and read without getting out of the car. Your signs fail in this regard and the driver, having been admitted to hospital, had entered into no contract with Parking Eye to pay you any money seeing as disabled people can park for free in that car park.

Continue along these lines: 'I enclose a copy of the driver's Blue Badge and can tell you I have instigated a complaint with the NHS Trust about this harassment of a disabled patient which is in fact a breach of the Equality Act 2010.'

Let us know what response you get and also send your NHS complaint to the Facilities Manager citing distress and harassment of a genuine disabled patient who had been admitted and had parked in a disabled bay since the Equality Act allows it. Not knowing about 'having to register' does not take away the disability nor the legal right to park in the space free at the time of parking. To allow the Parking agent to pursue the 'ticket' would be disability discrimination since it is illegal to have a blanket policy (such as registering Blue Badges) which can have the effect of illegally restricting where the parking concessions are made available. People who may be too ill or worried to know about 'registering their Blue Badge' cannot lawfully be penalised since that would be indirect discrimination against that group of people (the 'non-registered' disabled) even if it was never the hospital's intention.





P.S...and hellooooooParking Eye spies on this thread, do the right thing and cancel this one AND get your sordid money-making 'protection racket' the hell out of hospital and GP/clinic car parks!!!!!