HOSPITAL chiefs at Warrington and Halton have rejected claims that the “fines” on its car parks are “legally unenforceable”.
They have examined the automatic number plate recognition systems in operation at Warrington Hospital and Halton General Hospital and are satisfied they are fully compliant with British Car Parking Association standards.
They also point out that with 84,000 people paying to park at the hospitals over a three month period, the number of fines issued has to be put in context.
The vast majority of drivers are using the car parks without any problems, they argued.
But even as the Trust was issuing its statement, it emerged that the firm running their parking operation – London-based Highview Parking – had had its licence suspended by the DVLA following complaints about parking fines at Halton General Hospital. It was not clear, however, if Warrington Hospital was covered by the suspension.
Suspension means that Highview – which describes itself as “an esteemed car park management company” – will not be supplied with the names and addresses of motorists by the DVLA.
Warrington and Halton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust looked into the car parking operation after Halton Citizen’s Advice Bureau claimed the “fines” were legally unenforceable because of inadequate signage.
The CAB argued that all fines should be cancelled and the money refunded.
But a spokesman for the Trust said: “We have looked at the points raised by the CAB and we believe the signage on our sites is fully compliant and has been authorised the British Parking Association standards.
“We are further strengthening this by bringing together all information on concessions and instructions in one place, by the machines. Our aim is to make the instructions as clear as possible for people so they can use the new system as easily as possible. We also want regular visitors to easily take advantage of the concessions we have in place.
“We have also worked with the parking company to ensure that basic errors, such as entering a single incorrect digit from a number plate, are automatically picked up and are not issued with a fine, or that these are picked up and dismissed on appeal. We do not wish to issue a parking charge notice to any visitor or patient who has genuinely tried to pay for their parking.
“If anyone has received a PCN (penalty charge notice) and genuinely has paid for their time on the car parks or has extenuating circumstances then we do urge them to ensure they use the appeal process. The tickets issued by the machine do not need to be displayed but do act as a receipt for payment.
“Charges have been in place at the hospital sites for over 11 years and have not changed from their previous level with the introduction of the ANPR system. Our charges are less than many other local hospitals and we provide 30 minutes on site free to aid pick-ups and drop-offs on site. The number of PCNs that have been issued in three months as the system has been introduced need to be looked at in the context of the hospitals seeing around 84,000 individuals paying for their parking over the same three month period. The vast majority of people are using the system without any problems.”
