'Serious concerns' raised over Parkingeye taking over hospital parking charges
'Serious concerns' have been raised about proposed parking changes at Friarage Hospital in Northallerton - with those warning that it will hit patients, staff and visitors "in the pockets".
South Tees NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the Friarage and James Cook Hospital, has awarded a new car park management contract to Parkingeye; a decision that has sparked significant criticism from those who use it.
Parkingeye is expected to run parking on an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, requiring visitors to input their car registration into the pay machine.
The contract, set to take effect at the end of March, has been met with severe opposition due to fears that it will create further hardships for staff, patients, and visitors.
The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Unions have voiced their disappointment at the lack of meaningful consultation before the decision was finalised.
Unite, one of the unions at the forefront of the opposition, warns that the consequences of Parkingeye's involvement have not been fully considered.
The persistent issue of insufficient parking at The Friarage means that staff already struggle to find spaces, especially during peak hours, according to union bosses.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham strongly condemned the move.
She said: 'It is morally wrong to be charging frontline NHS staff to park at work, especially as many are low paid and work long unsocial hours.
A petition letter that was sent out in protest to the parking changes (Image: SUBMIT) 'To add insult to injury, without a thought for its own workers, South Tees NHS Trust is planning to bring in Parkingeye, a company notorious for obsessively applying parking charges. The trust needs to put its workers first and reverse its decision.'
Northallerton Town Council has also raised concerns about unauthorised parking around The Friarage Hospital, particularly regarding the impact of construction vehicles on road safety.
The council has expressed worry that any changes in parking policy could exacerbate the existing issues in the surrounding streets and green spaces - with people trying to avoid parking charges by parking on residential areas and nearby paths.
A spokesperson for the town council said: "Northallerton Town Council is concerned about unauthorised parking on the streets and green spaces surrounding the Friarage Hospital, including the impact that construction vehicles are having on road safety.
"The Council would be concerned at any development that could further increase parking issues in the vicinity of the Friarage Hospital".
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham (Image: PA MEDIA) A representative of Richmond and Northallerton MP Rishi Sunak has also confirmed that he is assisting several of his constituents and will be in touch with the South Tees Trust over the issue.
The introduction of Parkingeye's automated enforcement system could result in a surge of fines, adding stress and financial strain on NHS workers and hospital visitors alike, according to union leaders.
Unite is urging South Tees NHS Foundation Trust to engage in further consultation and ensure that safeguards are in place to prevent what it has described as "unfair penalties".
The union has warned that if the trust fails to take action, they will escalate the dispute.
Sharon Bailey, a Unite regional officer, further emphasised the negative impact on NHS staff, saying: 'NHS staff are already under immense pressure, and the last thing they need is the added stress and financial drain of parking penalties simply for going to work.
"There are serious concerns about how this contract will impact workers, as well as patients and their families, who are likely to be experiencing difficult circumstances when visiting these hospitals.'
A parking penalty notice (Image: PA MEDIA) However, South Tees NHS Foundation Trust defended the decision, stating that the trust had engaged with staff through briefings, social media, and Q&A sessions.
They emphasised that the primary goal is to maintain safety for drivers, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles.
The trust is also exploring additional measures to reduce congestion, including car sharing, electric bike salary sacrifice, public transport use, cycle-to-work schemes, flexible start times, and a park-and-ride service.
'ANPR is already in place at our other hospital sites across University Hospitals Tees and will standardise and simplify parking arrangements for the benefit of our patients and staff,' the spokesperson added.
Parkingeye has defended its involvement, stating that it is still in the early discussion phase with South Tees NHS Foundation Trust.
The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) A company spokesperson claimed their system would significantly improve car park operations.
'We have lots of experience working with healthcare Trusts throughout the UK to implement modern consumer-facing systems which enhance accessibility and make parking easier and safer for staff, patients, and visitors," added the spokesperson for Parkingeye.
'Our systems are designed to ensure the efficiency and smooth operation of a hospital by ensuring that patients, visitors, and staff park in their allocated car parks.
'Despite being in the early stages, the system at both The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and The James Cook University Hospital will be a 'Pay on Exit' solution in response to the requirements of the Trust.
The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) 'There will also be a wider marketing campaign with all users to ensure they are fully educated and use the car parks responsibly once the new system goes live.'
However, these reassurances have done little to ease concerns.
UNISON and Unite have launched petitions, which have so far been signed by over 3000 people, calling for the trust to halt the implementation of Parkingeye's system at The Friarage and James Cook hospitals.
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The UNISON petition states: 'This has been done without any consultation. It will lead to unfair charges being handed out to hardworking staff who are already struggling to find car parking spaces, many who are also struggling to make ends meet."
Meanwhile, Unite's petition highlights the aggressive nature of Parkingeye's enforcement, stating: 'There are insufficient parking spaces in the Trust and this isn't being addressed.
"This means that staff and visitors often are unable to park in designated parking places. Staff often work over and appointment times overrun. It will hit patients, staff and visitors in the pockets."
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