Hospital staff harassed in parking row – claim
STAFF at a Bristol hospital claim they are being harassed and intimidated by the firm which monitors parking at Frenchay Hospital.
Nurses said they had received fines from APCOA – the firm which North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) employs to run parking services on the site – and said that when they do not pay them they are threatened with bailiffs or court action.
Some have received fines for parking slightly outside the bays and claim threatening letters are sent out by the company.
Others who contacted the Post have started parking in residential streets near the hospital but claimed that their vehicles have suffered damage.
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One employee said: "Many of my colleagues have received parking fines, some for parking on or just over the white line of the parking bay, some for being parked in pay and display areas, and others, like me, for failing to display their parking permits. APCOA send several intimidating letters to the home addresses of those they have fined, demanding increasing amounts of money, threatening that bailiffs will attend the property, and threatening court action."
She said frontline hospital staff should not be "penalised, harassed and intimidated for parking their cars at work".
NBT said that they employ APCOA to manage parking according to the trust's policies to ensure they can maximise space and access for staff, patients and visitors.
They said the number of parking spaces available for employees was higher than other hospitals but that there is a finite number.
Director of facilities Simon Wood said: "Part of the arrangement is an enforcement process which uses penalty enforcement notices for inappropriate parking on our sites. This is exactly the same kind of scheme operated in city and town centres and other public areas across the country.
"Before they are issued with a parking permit, staff are asked to sign a declaration that they will park in accordance with trust parking rules. This clearly states that they will be issued with a notice if they park inappropriately.
"The trust reviewed and agreed the wording of the letters that are sent to staff and these mirror those used in schemes elsewhere.
"They are factual accounts of the process and consequences if notices remain unpaid.
"We ask our staff to park considerately and responsibly on public roads should they need to.
"We work with our neighbours to try to address their concerns and would ask them to contact us should they have issues they wish to raise."
Comments
by steveohim
Monday, August 06 2012, 9:37PM
“i dont get it,these people work at the hospital saving lives and they get fined for doing their job,its ******* rediculous,im totally embarrased to call myself british.i say shove it up your ass and let them all die”
by Bristolexpat
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:13AM
“If you don't pay for parking it is the same as going in a shop and walking out with a chocolate bar and not paying,"
Er no, that would be classed as stealing.
Unless the shopkeeper gave you the chocolate bar for free.”
by Bristolexpat
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:11AM
“APCOA make money from issuing the penalty notices. Thats why they'd want that contract in the first place.
If you feel particularly agrieved that you have parked properly and had a notice anyway take a photo and drop it on the Hospital Managements desk.
But, in summary park your car properly, consider other users, display your permit and dont give them the chance to carry out their work.”
by Jagermeister
Monday, June 18 2012, 6:26PM
“Most car parks are not policed as you put it, never seen parking anarchy in those that aren't . The point is private parking companies cannot issue fines or penalties by law, all they can issue are unenforceable invoices asking you to pay for breach of contract.
Now a higher court has deemed that the parking companies cannot issue these tickets unless they basically own the land, they don't in 99% of cases so that means they cannot go to court trying to claim their obscene charges. The higher court is binding for lower courts like the small claims.
These companies exist to furnish their own nests, there is no appeals of an independent nature, and they automatically turn down practically everyone who does so. Do you realise that most council tickets that are appealed are eventually won, it's because the appeal is independent of the people issuing it, with parking companies you are asking them to turn down money in house.
In regards to parking bays, have you considered the fact that they are made to small delibrately do they can actually issue more invoices ? Probably not!”
by spyinthecamp
Monday, June 18 2012, 5:15PM
“@jatermiester. I park and pay and I don't get a ticket. If car parks wre not policed you would get people parking where they wanted, blocking you in etc. As for being fined for being over a white line, well that's right as it makes the other bays a nightmare for people parking next to you as they can't open their doors and it causes damage to other cars by doors hitting doors. Few firms provide parking and its impossible for hospitals to due to the amount of people who come through the doors each day. If you have ever been blocked in or unable to park because people were parking who should not of been or had no right to you may well change you mind about car park patrols”
by Jagermeister
Monday, June 18 2012, 4:00PM
“@erin I bet they did lol”
by Jagermeister
Monday, June 18 2012, 3:47PM
“@ spyinthecamp your scenario is typical response of someone who doesn't know what you are talking about, perhaps you should read up what is involved in private parking , the whole point of it is to line pockets of the parking companies. Not parking management, these companies do not make money from contracts like hospitals, the pay and display money goes to the land owner, they make money by harassing the clientele, their whole business model is based on lies and harassment.”
by Jagermeister
Monday, June 18 2012, 3:42PM
“@ Bristol135 with respects private parking cannot issue fines or penalties, they can only send invoices for their loss, that is the law of the land. Now as they have no loss as they are not the landowner their speculative invoice is no better than toilet paper.
They are not a council or the police so cannot issue penalties for a tyre touching a white line or for a permit that is maybe fallen off a dashboard, if it went to court they would have to explain a number of things, first would be because of the VCS v HMRC do they have a legal right to bring a case to the small claims, then if they do to prove that a loss has been made to the sum of hundreds of pounds. Trust me they won't be able to as there is no loss.”
by spyinthecamp
Monday, June 18 2012, 2:42PM
“I think it's appalling that they have moaned. Very few people get free parking if at all and most of us pays for buses, taxies etc. If you don't pay for parking it is the same as going in a shop and walking out with a chocolate bar and not paying, so enforcement is a necessary evil and can only be policed is by fines.”
by Erinaceus
Monday, June 18 2012, 2:12PM
“Incidentally, has anyone else noticed that, when a particularly vile crime is described here, how often the perpetrator is a clamper or a bouncer, or even both?
I wonder why that is?”