Author Topic: The true cost of parking charges  (Read 1914 times)

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Offline Ewan Hoosami

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The true cost of parking charges
« on: 29 August, 2015, 03:54:02 PM »
The BPA Ltd are regularly selling their snake oil that the serfs consider convenience over price when choosing where to park. The serfs beg to differ,

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Southend Hospital rakes in £1.5m from drivers using its car parks



Clogged up – Joanna Wheatley says her road is now clogged with cars as more drivers try to avoid the steep parking charges



SOUTHEND Hospital raked in more than £1.5million from parking charges last year as a result of a big increase in charges.

The record total means the amount the hospital trust has earned every year from motorists has more than doubled in seven years.

In 2008/09, parking fees brought in just £637,000.

Recent increases mean it now costs least £3 to park at the hospital.

Neighbours say the cost of parking is forcing staff and patients to clog up surrounding streets with cars.   :o

Official figures show Southend Hospital has earned £8million from parking since 2008.


However the trust insists it is not profiteering, but has invested the money in maintaining the car parks.   <Pinnochio>

Joanna Wheatley, 43, lives in Shakespeare Avenue, Westcliff, just outside the residents’ parking permit zone imposed to dissuade hospital users from parking off-site.

She said: “We are being punished for where we live. When I leave my house at 7.30am, the roads are completely clogged with hospital staff.

“Sometimes itis difficult even to drive through there.

“The hospital should offer a staff discount for parking. I have sympathy for nurses, as they aren’t paid much. They probably think it’s better to park ten minutes away for free, but it affects the residents.”
  :o

Official figures show the trust earned a total of £1.545million from parking during the financial year which ended in March.

The year before, it made £1.395million.

Since then charges have increased yet again, making the hospital more expensive than Basildon Hospital.

Vicky Treadwell, 37, of Barrow Hill Road, Great Wakering, said: “The charges in the car park are atrocious. I had to pay them for almost four weeks, as my husband was in and out.

“Now he is in Basildon, there is plenty of free parking for disabled people and even if you do have to pay, it is only £3 for eight hours.”

Locals say they have noticed an increase in people parking in streets around Prittlewell Chase since the prices went up.

Andrea McGiff, 25, of Springfield Drive, said: “It was always busy before, but on some days now, it’s impossible to get a space on the road.
  :o


One of Ukip’s general election policies was to scrap hospital parking charges and Floyd Waterworth, who leads the party’s group on Southend Council, said: “It puts a strain on people's finances at a time when they are already anxious, and that is wrong.”

Southend Hospital ended the last financial year £9.8million in the red. Trust officials say extra income from increasing parking charges in August 2014 helped it make £2.6million of improvements to hospital car parks, including new markings, resurfacing, and lighting.

Jan China, the trust’s director of estates and facilities, said: “Should this income not be forthcoming from charges, we would still have to provide safe parking, with funding coming from income earmarked for frontline patient services.

“This is naturally something we wish to avoid.”


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You go to all the effort of telling people what they prefer and what happens? They don't take a blind bit of notice of you. Patrick Trouser-Fire must feel almost as unappreciated as the bloke whose job it is to fit indicators to london taxis.
Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline scalyback

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Re: The true cost of parking charges
« Reply #1 on: 01 September, 2015, 07:47:38 AM »
The true cost is more...

Had this been Scotland or Northern Ireland, the parking would be free, but because the charge is high, people obviously started parking in the streets.

Because of this, the council had to implement a residents parking zone, administer permits and pay wardens to enforce the area.

The Hospital rake it in, but the council has to continually pay out as a direct consequence of the Hospital's parking policy.

THAT IS THE TRUE COST OF PARKING! (Anyone from the BPA want to tell me it's not?)

 


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