NHS parking dilemma

[Buniadot]

Let me preface this that I am grateful to all the NHS workers for their hard work and dedication to their job.

I've wanted to start this thread as I've recently seen numerous debates about this on social media. Oftentimes someone's complaining that NHS workers are parking their cars on residential streets where parking is available at the trust. The post usually has a plethora of comments ranging from those agreeing it's a nuisance to those saying it's reasonable.

I have made a few observations myself, I am aware that they may make me sound like an AH but they seem the most logical to me.

• if parking is available at the workplace then it should be used (whether free or not)
• to address expensive parking, almost all workplaces don't offer free parking, doesn't matter what industry. A lot of workers aside from NHS, pay for parking and live.
• to address antisocial hours, as above, there are other industries that won't necessarily have free parking and have to pay for it
• the NHS offers good job stability in this day and age (always understaffed so not much chance of losing your job, they need you), fantastic pension, the pay isn't great but also not out of the norm, discounts for on site nurseries etc, overall don't the benefits outweigh the cost of parking?
• to clarify, I do understand if there's no parking available then absolutely look for an alternative but I find it cheeky to use residential roads when there's ample parking available at some trusts.
• I can see why people get frustrated with there being no space near their house because of people that work. Now before people say 'buy a house with a drive' it's sometimes not possible, some get house by council and are grateful for what they have, or some that own their house may not be able to afford one with a driveway. It's cheaper to pay for parking at your workplace thank buy a house with a driveway.

So, AITA for thinking that being an NHS worker doesn't exempt you from paying for parking and you should be more considerate to residents in the area?

I hope we can all have a discussion about your views.

Yes, YATA
Anyone can park on public roads.
BUT.... staff parking in hospitals should be free

If they can legally park on a residential street then they have every right to do that. They can park where they like as long as it’s legal.
Doesn’t really matter about how the residents feel about it.

I’m not saying it’s right or wrong as I don’t really care either way.

Honestly paying for parking is fair enough, like you say many other industries don't offer free parking.

However...there is often nowhere near enough parking spaces for all of the staff. My last Trust had a waiting list for parking permits (that you paid for) and I'm sure it was at least a year long.

Well the last NHS hospital I worked at you had to apply to buy a parking pass for the staff car park. They would then examine your other possible options for how to get work, how far away you lived etc and decide who got to park there. The car park often wasn't full because those who had a pass weren't always in, so it might seem to an outsider that staff were taking the piss parking in residential areas, but they actually had no other option if say the trains were down that day.

Anyone can park anywhere legally for any reason. HTH.

I actually don't think the staff parking should be free. Safe, well maintained parking costs money and if staff don't pay then the money to maintain the car parks needs to come from somewhere else, and hospital budgets aren't exactly generous. That said, the parking costs should be set at a reasonable rate to cover costs without making a profit from the staff. At my trust we pay either £20/month or around £1.50 per day (you can choose to do either) and I think that is reasonable.

A consultant I know has to park in the patient spaces as theirs is full. Not in an actual space as that's always full. So 6 or 7 days a week he gets a parking fine for using the path or double yellow lines.. Says it's an accepted part of the job now...

Not all employers offer staff parking, no. But how many of those who have parking charge their staff for using it? It's not something I've heard of.

I have been on a waiting list for a staff parking permit for over 10 years. Our public carparks are 'policed' by security to prevent staff from parking in due to complaints from patients. There are options for off site parking with shuttles but the times don't work with my shift times (only operate 9-5, I work 7.30am to 9pm). So yes, I park in a residential area. Not sure what other option I have really 🤷‍♀️

It's fair enough really. Anyone can park in a public space. In the same way that some people can't afford a house with a drive, some people can't afford to pay for parking

if parking is available at the workplace then it should be used
How would you police that?
almost all workplaces don't offer free parking, doesn't matter what industry.
Do they?
I've never worked anywhere that charged for parking, current employer charges a fortune for the public to park but not employees.

I don't think there should be carpark charges for anyone going to a hospital, as a patient, visitor or employee.

At my current trust, staff go on a waiting list to get a staff permit. It took my colleague 4 years for it to be 'her turn'.

I don't mind paying for parking if there actually is parking. Most of the time, there isn't.

Why should NHS workers show greater consideration than Eg people parking near train/tube stations and commuting, people parking near schools and doing drop off/pick up, people parking near shopping centers etc?

If you think all those people should show greater consideration to residents, your problem isn’t parking. It’s urban planning.

YATA.

Until we get public transport sorted out employers (including the NHS), planners and councils should stop pretending that driving a car to and parking it at one's place of employment is some kind of unimaginable luxury that no one needs to do.

If it’s legal to park on a street it’s legal. No recourse.

My Trust has 18000 employees, and about 2500 staff parking spaces. That's the reason people park on the streets

Any workplace that has parking should let employees park for free. It's ridiculous, especially given it's all state owned land anyway. Why do we need to make money from NHS staff?

I’ve yet to work in any hospital anywhere with “ample” staff parking, free or otherwise.

Nurses arrive at 6:45, they take up all the spaces (which is fine, first come first served) and when the doctors and other AHPs and admin staff arrive between 7:45-8:45 there are no spaces.

I usually cycle to work as a result, but if you are finishing work at antisocial hours, you don’t necessarily want to pedal home at 2am. So on those occasions, when I lived further away from work, I parked on residential streets. Usually miles away, as it is all residents parking around the hospital.

OP, if this is a genuine problem locally, ask your council to put in a resident permit scheme. Then there will be loads of spaces for local residents.

At my local hospital the staff can’t even get parked! Some are having to park in the nearby town and walk into the hospital grounds. Getting a parking space for any appointments is almost impossible as well. Although our hospital doesn’t charge for parking for staff.

@DonnaBanana Agree with you but I think the mechanics of parking provision are privatised, hence the charges.

This.

I couldn’t afford £4.40 a day on a 4 day week plus alternate weekends on call parking fees. £80 a month on parking.
Nope.
Id out my car anywhere I legally could.

Fully agree that parking in hospitals should be free for everyone, it used to be a while back wasn't it?

Many thousands of staff working at the typical hospital means that most workers do not have the option to park at work as patients rightly get priority.
Limited parking is usually paid for but there’s a permit system and it can take years to get a pass after taking a job; also many staff are temporary. At my local trust staff are not allowed to pay to park in spaces allocated for patients.
If residents don’t want hospital staff or patients to park outside their homes they could take it up with their local council and look at a residents parking scheme. Otherwise it’s a free for all on public roads.

If the staff are parking in the car park, where are the patients going to park?