Campaign to improve hospital parking launched

30 May 2019

A campaign has been launched demanding a national review of parking at hospitals.

The Scottish Conservatives unveiled the drive today, arguing that better facilities were needed across the country for staff, patients and visitors.

Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said the campaign was started after a series of revelations about parking at hospitals in different parts of the country.

Thousands of NHS staff are currently unable to access permits at their work, while some employees at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have had their permits rescinded ahead of the opening nearby of the new Sick Kids hospital.

In Glasgow, nurses said they faced daily charges of more than £20 a day to park, and workers at Dundee’s Ninewells hospital continue to be charged, despite SNP pledges to make hospital parking free.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:

“MSPs and MPs across the country are always being contacted by staff, patients and visitors about on-going parking problems at hospitals.

“We already know that our NHS is facing a workforce crisis under the SNP but NHS staff are increasingly saying if they can’t park at their work, they won’t be able to work at many hospital sites.

“For too long NHS staff, patients and visitors have had to pay far too much for parking at hospitals.
 
“We don’t believe it is fair that Scots should have to pay such high fees simply because they are unwell or need to visit a loved one who is ill.
 
“It’s also not right that NHS staff should have to pay to park at their place at work, especially given the long and awkward hours many of them work.

“That’s why we want to see a national review of hospital parking, and for NHS staff to be refunded the cost of their parking.

“The Scottish Conservatives believe it’s time there was a national review of hospital parking. That is why we have launched our petition and calling on SNP ministers to act.”