Free hospital parking for disabled scrapped (From Watford Observer)
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Free parking for disabled at Watford General Hospital scrapped
4:30pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News
By Adam Binnie, Senior Reporter
Disabled people visiting Watford General Hospital will no longer be able to park for free, after the trust which runs the site scrapped the scheme in the interest of "fairness and equality".
From April, blue-badge holders will have to pay the same £4 minimum parking charge as any other visitors to West Herts NHS Hospitals Trust sites in Watford, St Albans and Hemel.
This is just months after the trust rejected Watford Borough Council’s calls for a lower, £2.50 minimum charge, because it was locked into a contract until 2015.
Leigh Hutchings, from Disability Watford, said: "I heard rumours about this but I didn’t think they’d actually do it.
"Disabled people are being squeezed enough as it is, what with being reassessed for benefits. People don’t realise how expensive being disabled is.
"Someone’s made a decision without thinking about the consequences. People won’t go to hospital as much as they need to.
"When people think of disability they only think of people in wheelchairs, but if you’ve got cancer and can’t breathe properly then you can’t walk very far either."
Mr Hutchings said Disability Watford was due to meet with the hospital trust to discuss the new fee.
He added: "We disagree with the fee, but we’ll wait and meet with them before launching any campaign against it. We’re not happy, but hopefully we can turn this around without any conflict."
In November the trust rejected Watford Borough Council’s recommendation to reduce the parking charge cut to £2.50, as it would be too costly to break its contract with CP Plus.
Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: "I’m just staggered and I cannot believe the situation is so desperate that they have to do this. It’s a step too far.
"It’s such a bad PR move, parking is the one thing that people complain about constantly. I’d be asking if the negative PR warrants the financial benefit."
Currently the cheapest parking ticket at the Vicarage Road hospital is £4 for three hours, which drivers have to buy no matter how short their visit. After that motorists have to pay £6 for five hours or £12 to park all day.
Louise Gaffney, director of strategy and infrastructure, said: "This decision was not made lightly by the trust board.
"It will create fairness and equality for everyone needing to use the hospital car parks. Trust staff with a blue-badge are charged for parking on site.
Ms Gaffney said there will still be priority spaces for disabled visitors, discounts for frequently visitors, and free 30-minute bays.
She added: "Many other NHS Trusts and local authorities charge Blue Badge holders to use car parking facilities."
In December, trust director, Liz Rippon said no profit was made from car parking charges or fines.
This was after figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information act, showing how since 2008, more than 7,000 fines have been handed to drivers visiting relatives and loved ones in Watford General Hospital, costing £50,000.
Comments(36)
TRT
says...
4:57pm Thu 24 Jan 13
MarsLander
says...
5:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Someone needs to be sacked as an example to those that come after them.
Where does the NHS get these numbskulls from?
mightyombudsman
says...
5:46pm Thu 24 Jan 13
How long before a broken fingernail is a valid key to a sought after blue badge.
E.Coli
says...
5:48pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Sara
says...
5:58pm Thu 24 Jan 13
TRT wrote:Three hours. And for free on some pay and display. So the streets will be more congested and disabled people will travel further from their vehicle.
But can't they just park on the double yellow lines for up to two hours instead?
Mohandas
says...
6:00pm Thu 24 Jan 13
crazyfrog wrote:totally agree.These immoral, insensitive, unethical exhorbitant charges are kick in the teeth for those who are ill and need regular visits to iad their recovery. Imagine the costs to ordinary people if they wish to visit for a short period every day for someone who is very ill. This uncaring hospital is simply taking advantage of vulnerable people thus creating a very sick situation. We need a sensitive charging system. With this attitude the allotment holders stand no chance.
its disgusting to expect people who need to visit the hospital to pay these prices whoever signed that contract with the parking company needs a demotion to somewhere where they cant create any more problems.
too true
says...
6:00pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Many I know with a disabled badge are just as well off as those without so who says that having a disabled badge makes you poorer than those without?
If you did a comparison on the governments benefit checker website, you would find that in this current climate, those on benefits are often more well off than those who are working - including disability benefit. However, many of those with a disabled badge don't actually claim disability benefit - they are working or drawing a pension. - being disabled isn't more expensive than not, and being disabled doesn't mean you necessarily have less money than those who are not.
I think there should be fairness and equality. Having worked at Watford as non-hospital staff and had to pay £12 per day to park, I think that everyone should have to pay in terms of fairness and equality, but that the fee should be reassessed as people who are parking there aren't just parking for the fun of it - they are parking for a purpose and being exploited for doing so.
OAC Bailiff
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6:10pm Thu 24 Jan 13
pr76uk
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6:14pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Nightreader
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6:24pm Thu 24 Jan 13
MarsLander
says...
6:25pm Thu 24 Jan 13
pr76uk wrote:You must travel in different circles to me.
Most of the cars with blue badges I have seen are not the old runarounds but giant people-carriers, Mercs and 4x4's. Disabled doesn't mean poor by any means!
Are you seriously trying to say all disabled people are rich and drive flash cars? Ridiculous, as are these charges.
Nightreader
says...
6:26pm Thu 24 Jan 13
OAC Bailiff wrote:Please look on the trust website - frequent visitors can get reduced and in some cases free permits.
bloody disgrace and people visiting terminaly ill family and friends dying have to pay to see there dying relatives fff ing disgusting
Wacko Jacko
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6:45pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Sara
says...
7:39pm Thu 24 Jan 13
pr76uk wrote:Having been temporarily in a wheelchair for several months (but without a Blue Badge) most cars are unable to for a wheelchair in the boot.
Most of the cars with blue badges I have seen are not the old runarounds but giant people-carriers, Mercs and 4x4's. Disabled doesn't mean poor by any means!
Also when I was a wheelchair user, it was much easier to get in and out of a car with a higher driving position.
I personally have a small hatchback and I don't know anyone personally who has a large car and a Blue Badge. But some do obtain such cars on a Motability lease at no or little cost and I can see why it is reasonable for them to do so.
MarsLander
says...
8:24pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Nightreader wrote:More of a principled argument going on here about the rights and wrongs of parking charges for disabled and non-disabled alike.
OAC Bailiff wrote:Please look on the trust website - frequent visitors can get reduced and in some cases free permits.
bloody disgrace and people visiting terminaly ill family and friends dying have to pay to see there dying relatives fff ing disgusting
The fact that there might just be a reduced charge for some people sometimes if they know how to apply for it hardly cuts the mustard.
I can't remember the last time I was on the trust website. In fact, I have never been on it. I never even knew there was one.
What would possess the man in the street to think there is a concession available through that website or any other?
Parking charges at the hospital are a disgrace. That means the people who agree this on behalf of the NHS are also a disgrace.
They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Nightreader
says...
8:28pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Mohandas
says...
9:54pm Thu 24 Jan 13
pepsiman
says...
10:08pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Hornets number 12 fan
says...
10:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13
LSC
says...
10:34pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Hornets number 12 fan wrote:This has come up before, and sadly it isn't that simple. A lot of the surrounding area requires permits etc.
SCRAP ALL HOSPITAL CAR PARK CHARGES NOW! OVER AND OUT!!!!!
A free public car park? Great, I'll buy 20 cars, put them on Ebay and park them up at the hospital until they sell.
I'll leave my car there on Match days; in fact, I'll go for a beer after the match and leave my car there until Monday.
It is the selfishness of people that has created this problem.
HornetJJ
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11:16pm Thu 24 Jan 13
drunkenduck
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12:21am Fri 25 Jan 13
No, disabled should get free parking at Watford General Hospital.
Yes, to those who abuse it. Having a disabled badge but themselves are "not" disabled and accept to get free parking.
jasonwatford
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9:09am Fri 25 Jan 13
TRT
says...
9:33am Fri 25 Jan 13
HornetJJ wrote:But those with disabilities are not only more likely to be visiting the hospital but are less able to use other means of transport. Even though the proposed new train station will be DDA compliant, the roads and paths connecting it to the health campus will still be the same Victorian streets as we have at present, with a steep downhill then uphill and crossings over road humps with narrow pavements and anti-run barriers for the school.
At the end of the day nobody wants to have to go to hospital but people need to whether able bodied or disabled. For that reason I don't see why able bodied people should be treated any differently. So if a charge must apply it should apply to all and vice versa!
Phil Drackley
says...
10:17am Fri 25 Jan 13
TRT wrote:Not on double lines, no.
But can't they just park on the double yellow lines for up to two hours instead?
In an area such as a Hospital, nobody is allowed to park anywhere other than car parks because of access issues.
Phil Drackley
says...
10:31am Fri 25 Jan 13
Phil Drackley wrote:I am informed by my wife, who holds the Blue Badge, that you can park on double yellows as well. But my point about the Hospital property still stands.
TRT wrote:Not on double lines, no.
But can't they just park on the double yellow lines for up to two hours instead?
In an area such as a Hospital, nobody is allowed to park anywhere other than car parks because of access issues.
TRT
says...
10:48am Fri 25 Jan 13
Linda Geddes
says...
2:47pm Fri 25 Jan 13
It isn't about how much money someone has got. It's about making life easier for someone who has no choice. No-one chooses to become disabled and they deserve more consideration.
Yes the charges are ridiculously high and particularly for someone who is genuinely visiting a sick relative two or three times a day. I spent 6 weeks in that hospital and NO-ONE told my husband that he could obtain a permit to cut the costs. He didn't find this out until after I was allowed home.
I was fortunate that on follow up visits I was able to park and walk but, if I had been in a wheelchair, I would have been very angry if I had to pay parking fees on top. So leave the disabled alone and just be thankful you are not one of them.
MarsLander
says...
2:57pm Fri 25 Jan 13
Linda Geddes wrote:To paraphrase, "It's not about money, it's about humanity".
Perhaps some of those who are saying everyone should pay whether disabled or not should try getting into a wheelchair for a day and seeing just how easy life is. Put yourself in the other man's shoes before making stupid comments.
It isn't about how much money someone has got. It's about making life easier for someone who has no choice. No-one chooses to become disabled and they deserve more consideration.
Yes the charges are ridiculously high and particularly for someone who is genuinely visiting a sick relative two or three times a day. I spent 6 weeks in that hospital and NO-ONE told my husband that he could obtain a permit to cut the costs. He didn't find this out until after I was allowed home.
I was fortunate that on follow up visits I was able to park and walk but, if I had been in a wheelchair, I would have been very angry if I had to pay parking fees on top. So leave the disabled alone and just be thankful you are not one of them.
Something many politicians, hospital administrators and posters to this site seem to have forgotten. I urge them all to take a step back and reconsider their positions, lest the world become a colder place.
garston tony
says...
9:40am Mon 28 Jan 13
I would argue that the charge itself is too steep etc. but don’t see any reason why someones disability should preclude them from paying the parking charge.
It’s a slight aside but I understand blue badge holders can park on double yellows, you see it often enough. To me that is strange too, surely quite often double yellows are where they are to ensure the flow of traffic and also are sometimes a road safety issue. I appreciate there may be a difficulty walking but why should that entitle someone to cause potential traffic chaos or worse still accidents? I also don’t understand why someone who may be deaf for instance can get a blue badge when they are physically able otherwise. Surely they should be reserved for those who have a difficulty getting around?
MarsLander
says...
10:31am Mon 28 Jan 13
I quite agree. If parking charges were minimal I doubt anyone would disagree either.
It's just greed that causes all this resentment, that and the privatised parking stasi that enforce the car parks.
I just read today how councils are using litter dropping fines as a way of revenue raising, under the guise of keeping the town clean.
Privatised XFor litter police hide whilst watching groups of smokers, waiting for one to drop a fag butt and then pounce, taking the lions share of the fine for them and giving the rest to the council. Something a bit unpleasant about that I think for a council to be involved in. It seems a trifle big brotherish and dishonest. No warnings are ever given, just fines with no recourse to appeal.
garston tony
says...
2:10pm Mon 28 Jan 13
But this isnt about the amount charged but wether people with blue badges should pay or not. Personally I dont see any reason why they in particular should be singled out for this preferential treatment when there are many other people who have to visit the hospital who can ill afford the charge but yet still have to pay it
Veritas
says...
5:48pm Mon 28 Jan 13
How can local private hospitals and even Brent Cross provide "free" multi storey parking?
Just goes to show the greed involved, so unethical.
Someone somewhere is making money, who? Going by the dilapidated
state of the car parks, its not there!
The council, under pressure from residents looked into the very high charges for parking at the Hospital?
Funny how they did not ask more questions of why such a long term contract with no benefits to the improvement
of the car parks?
Where is all the money going?
Jan Filowski at a residents meeting in Croxley, famously said “patient care would suffer" if charges were reduced?
Why did the Council not ask him to justify his rather blatant lie? No funding from the Car parks pays for NHS treatment? Could it be they are just paying lip service?
Mrs Bex
says...
8:04am Fri 1 Feb 13
Mrs Bex
says...
8:06am Fri 1 Feb 13
Linda Geddes wrote:Well Said, and thank you
Perhaps some of those who are saying everyone should pay whether disabled or not should try getting into a wheelchair for a day and seeing just how easy life is. Put yourself in the other man's shoes before making stupid comments.
It isn't about how much money someone has got. It's about making life easier for someone who has no choice. No-one chooses to become disabled and they deserve more consideration.
Yes the charges are ridiculously high and particularly for someone who is genuinely visiting a sick relative two or three times a day. I spent 6 weeks in that hospital and NO-ONE told my husband that he could obtain a permit to cut the costs. He didn't find this out until after I was allowed home.
I was fortunate that on follow up visits I was able to park and walk but, if I had been in a wheelchair, I would have been very angry if I had to pay parking fees on top. So leave the disabled alone and just be thankful you are not one of them.
crazyfrog says...
4:44pm Thu 24 Jan 13