General Chat

Were my ears deceiving me this morning when I heard that hospital parking in England still has to be paid for while in Wales and Scotland there is no charge?

What is the equal rights brigade doing about that anomaly?

...same as prescriptions, I believe.

At least you can park in hospital car parks now. at St Richards in Chichester, before the imposition of parking charges, people would park there rather than pay to park in the Festival Theatre car park when they went to work or played in the squash club so that patients had nowhere to park or had to use the Festival Theatre car park up the road.

you still have to pay in the largest hospital in Cardiff - The University Hospital of Wales

Same as the Poll Tax, here in Scotland
for a year before the rest of the U.K.

Even the hospital staff have to pay
at James Cook University hospital nr us

I THINK THATS SHOCKING :-( :-(

'They' did try to get some concessions for Carers visiting relatives - but the Bill was filibusterd

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34674272

I don't believe anyone anywhere should pay for hospital parking, Joan, and I feel heartily sorry for residents around hospitals.

Our local authority has devised schemes to help surrounding residents but has done nothing to open up its own huge car park to assist drivers visiting the hospital just across the road. It stands empty every evening. Only cost may prevent underground and rooftop parking on hospital sites but as the population rises it may be something to factor in to building estimates.

Morning When I lived in England .we got a parking pass to visit very poorly relatives .remember getting security to sign the paper. we had to write down registration no of the vehicle . .wasn't free but cheaper .if I can remember correctly .In Scotland it is free but very difficult to get a parking place .Dumfries Hospital is being rebuilt .at the moment & I wonder if the parking will be easier .& more spaces provided .Think staff should be allocated their own parking .& not park were the general public go .only saying :-) Barbra

Our ‘new’ 2000 hospital made a deliberate decision not to provide sufficient parking spaces for the staff, outpatients or visitors. This was to encourage people to use public transport….except

- The bus timetable from the nearest town doesn’t coincide with shift changes
- A fair amount of the catchment area is semi-rural and has rubbish public transport links.
- Why spend over an hour one way+ £5 on public transport when you can get there by car in 20 mins with £1.50 per hour (usually sufficient for out-patient clinics) parking fees? (It is possible to purchase a week's ticket for a reduced sum)
- Its has now become a Hub for various specialists meaning patients from out of area have to make their way there. Most drive (see above re pubic transport links)
- A large minority of visiting out-patients are temporarily incapacitated and couldn’t use the public transport system even if they wanted to. Other elderly visitors may have mobility problems, but not sufficient to warrant a disabled badge.

As a consequence staff in particular are parking, some inconsiderately, in the narrow local estate roads.

If they’d thought it through they could have built 2 story car parks from its conception.

Re Disability Parking you might get half a dozen spaces .on a vast car park .they don't get much help & none badge holders use them .its all wrong. its not just older people .children & young adults have disability`s .mind you it happens everywhere .supermarkets. shops .not enough wardens to sort it. or they just turn a blind eye. said my peace going out now Barbra :-)

In England cars registered for the use of disabled people ( tax exempt ) get free parking at hospitals and municipal car parks. Some private car parking companies eg NCP also allow free parking for such vehicles.

Given the advantages of living in Scotland and Wales - free uni, free hospital parking, free prescriptions, free Welsh lessons, the Northern Lights and lots of affordable housing I wonder why people in England don't move.

Rain? ;-)

That's not correct Rollo

Welsh students DO pay uni fees but they are lower than those paid by English students. My daughter is also eligible for a bursary but it is £14,000 LESS than if she was in England

We do get free prescriptions but the majority of hospitals have contacts with parking firms so we DO have to pay for parking and that often applies to the disabled.

I don't know about Welsh lessons, I've never been interested in learning and I've yet to see the Northern Lights from South Wales.

Northern lights in south wales ( if its not rainining don't blink)

http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/northern-lights-tonight/story-27941890-detail/story.html

why forcing children in Wales to learn Welsh is not a good thing

http://www.clickonwales.org/2013/10/when-teaching-welsh-is-a-futile-experiment/

We have had a lovely October here in North Wales...not saying that we don't get rain,but the last week or two it has rained in the night sometimes ,but we have have had very bright sunny days making our scenery look superb!

As for parking....we haven't paid at our hospitals for a few years now.
We have a park and ride scheme going on at our big local hospital as well,using a closed down factory car park...good idea!
What I don't agree with in the Welsh National Health is free prescriptions for everyone.

This was brought in a few years ago..I do believe that this encourages everyone to go to the doctor to get medicines ,like antibiotics...for minor problems that could have been easily managed with a trip to the chemist.

Maybe make it a cheaper price,but with our service struggling with nurses and doctors I think the money could have been very useful to get us out of trouble.

Once it has been given,it is very hard to take away,like most benefits.

I'm only talking about people of working age and not the older and sick.
I also hate the waste of medicines and medical supplies being burnt or thrown away,even though intact.

There was a fair amount of free parking in Exeter specifically for the recent rugby
game(s) played in the area.

Priority spot on! ;-)

I'm in South West Wales, and we still have to pay at our local hospital, albeit slightly less than it used to be.

It's because the local authority had taken out a contract with the Car Park operating firm! :-| :-|

OH was totally gobsmacked when he heard that car parking at hospitals had to be paid for.
Not in Spain. It´s free.

We have had some great weather up here. the Autumn leaves are stunning .Today is mild & we Have sunshine .Don't knock it unless you have lived in Scotland .been here 8years & the scenery is Beautiful & the folk are lovely well in our village they are .& we don't have yellow lines You can park anywhere & its Free :-P PS no traffic lights either .3 Cheers for Dumfries & Galloway :-D ;-)