Well I better re-post my post then you bad boy.
My local NHS Trust looks like they are going to start charging staff to park their cars at work. At the moment it looks like it will be a charge of £220 per year.
The thing is there are notices everywhere from the unions worded in very strong terms to stop this action by the trust at all costs. The unions are a bit laid back when it comes to possible staff redundancies, relocations, demotions and management of change restructuring. But make the staff pay to park their cars, well that is another matter and must be stopped.
Most people are in uproar over this in my department. With people saying they will refuse to pay, people saying well what can the trust do as they will need my permission to take money direct from my wages. Well what can they do, they can stop all car park passes and if you want to park your car in the future you will probably have to apply for a new one with payment. No payment no parking, simple really. People are saying they will park on the road etc. I'm waiting for the council to start painting double yellow lines on all the local roads just before the trust implements this policy.
Everyone will do anything to avoid paying this charge, well apart from walking, getting the bus or cycling. Not really true as one person did tell me that as they only lived 10 minutes from the hospital that they might consider cycling to work.
I've cycled to work for at least four years now and in that time I've probably only used the car park about ten times. So they had better not take this money from my wages without my permission as I have no intention of using my car for work. Does anyone know the legal side of this?
At the moment I must say I am winding the car users up a bit by saying that the £220 seems a bit reasonable as I thought they could really charge around £300.
Does anyone else work for the NHS that charges for car parking and what does your trust charge?
£220 per year to park you car at work, the joys of the NHS.
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sore thumb
- Posts: 242
- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 10:27am
£220 per year to park you car at work, the joys of the NHS.
Last edited by sore thumb on 23 Jun 2008, 1:04pm, edited 1 time in total.
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matt_twam_asi
- Posts: 348
- Joined: 29 Apr 2008, 10:56am
- Location: West Sussex
Our local hospital, Taunton & Somerset, have charged staff for years by deductions from pay. They also levy a very hefty charge for Joe Public. The latter is severely resented by the local community as the bus service is very erratic ( a new park & ride only runs during office hours). I was recently charged (a total of)over £30 for several visits when my wife was a patient for a few days and I couldn't ride after a back injury. I cycle in whenever possible - I don't work there, but visit for hospital radio etc and occasionally as a patient. I wouldn't resent the charge if I was permanent staff - I'd just ride the bike in 
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Advena ego sum in Terra
To be honest, I think you've been lucky to get free parking up until now. My husband works for an NHS Trust and he's been paying a car parking fee for years. At first he was able to pay for a "part-time" permit - at that time he didn't cycle very much but did use the bus frequently. The hospital soon found that was a non-starter so now its a flat rate depending on how many hours you work. I'm not absolutely sure how much, but £145 per annum comes to mind.
Its not forced on the staff - they apply for a permit or not - but parking anywhere in the vicinity is pretty desperate. Also, the surrounding area is high theft risk and at least the car park is lit and patrolled (from time to time). There is a pretty good bus network locally (its in London).
Out of hours parking is provided free of charge, so they do cater for unsocial hours.
The hospital is under continual pressure to provide parking for patients ( which costs an arm and a leg!) so we really weren't surprised when they started charging for the staff car park.
Jan
Still working on proper bike provision - at the moment his bike is parked with a few friends in the enclosed garden....
Its not forced on the staff - they apply for a permit or not - but parking anywhere in the vicinity is pretty desperate. Also, the surrounding area is high theft risk and at least the car park is lit and patrolled (from time to time). There is a pretty good bus network locally (its in London).
Out of hours parking is provided free of charge, so they do cater for unsocial hours.
The hospital is under continual pressure to provide parking for patients ( which costs an arm and a leg!) so we really weren't surprised when they started charging for the staff car park.
Jan
Still working on proper bike provision - at the moment his bike is parked with a few friends in the enclosed garden....
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George Riches
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- Contact:
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hubgearfreak
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hubgearfreak wrote:i agree george. except the figure i read was up to £2000pa.
perhaps if the cyclists got the extra as wages?then the motorist would have nothing to whinge about
George Riches wrote:Why should an employee who brings a car to work have more spent on him/her by the employer than an employee who doesn't?
I've read that it costs on average £500 pa to provide a parking place.
Yep, I've heard quite a few figures on the costs of parking to employers, the one that sticks in my head is that the free parking amonts to a £3 a day tax-free perk that only car drivers can claim.
You'd think the Unions would be up in arms about the inequality between drivers and non-drivers...
Good that they do charge. It's unbelievable that NHS employees even think of driving to work - pollution (thank you very much), injuring people, obesity, setting a poor example - are we to believe NHS publicity about the value of cycling after this? Plymouth by contrast is offering loans for bikes. I can think of better uses for NHS property than a large car park.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
horizon wrote:Good that they do charge. It's unbelievable that NHS employees even think of driving to work
hang on a bit, its not that easy. Remember that most hospital workers work shifts and hard shifts at that. Many are also parents trying to juggle their time. The old situation of "working in the neighbourhood" has gone. These days people travel across cities or even to other cities to work. Then, the terrain may be very hilly, so not conducive to an easy keep-fit ride.
So lets have a bit of understanding that not all the general population is able to keep up with our high moral ethics or livestyles please.
Why should purchasing a 2x4 metal box entitle you to use the land it occupies free? Maybe not such an issue if land is plentiful but in towns and cities (and near hospitals) land is dear. If the car owner doesn't pay for the use of the land someone else has to. That's not fair. Pay your way car drivers, don't expect a subsidy for your inefficient and expensive method of transport.
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thirdcrank
- Posts: 36780
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
This isn't just about the morals and economics of free p[arking. It is about unilaterally changing somebody's conditions of employment.
Unfortunately, since I made a mess of the OP it is also not now clear that the concern was partly that all employees were to be charged for the availability of parking, whether or not they took up the offer.
Unfortunately, since I made a mess of the OP it is also not now clear that the concern was partly that all employees were to be charged for the availability of parking, whether or not they took up the offer.
