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Original poster

Removal of parking permits at work

76 replies

ChristmasDoDos · 07/12/2023 09:31

I live just inside (0.9 miles) a 1 mile radius of my work and since 2017 when I started, I have driven. I've got animals to check on before and after work and this arrangement works for me as I can go straight from work to sort them.

Work are removing permits for anyone withing the one mile radius and while this will be a fecking huge inconvenience for me (also nowhere to park on surrounding streets locally), I also do emergency on calls which could mean staying on after a shifts for an unspecified length of time. For example, if I'm on a late shift (start at 12, not allowed to park onsite) and have to stay on this could mean that I'm walking home alone at 2 or 3am, which I think is unacceptable and a massive risk to my safety. Aside from this I am prepared to suck it up, would I be unreasonable to say I won't do on calls any more if I can't drive to work on those days?

OP posts:
YoullCatchYourDeathInTheFog · 09/12/2023 09:30

Have you considered a raincoat Honolulu? I think most non-drivers have noticed that it occasionally rains hard in the UK. Appropriate clothes and umbrellas are available.

OP I sympathise about the late night and emergency situation- a fifteen minute walk home at 2am on deserted streets is objectively a minuscule risk, but I certainly wouldn't fancy doing it in a regular basis. Good luck with approaching management and your union for some kind of adjustment of the policy.

However maybe if people who could have easily walked their regular shift commute hadn't been using the parking spaces the management wouldn't have felt the need to operate this rough and ready rationing.

sleepyscientist · 09/12/2023 10:08

Have you tried the BMA? The NHS has to provide free parking for nightshifts which would cover your on calls. If they want you to move your car after your on call, that's coming out of their time. I don't imagine that will last long, I would enjoy the audio book the few times I took the car back home then walked back wasting their time.

Our trust went the other way and opened permits to everyone but don't guarantee a space as people pointed out their policies were discriminatory against woman who do the majority of school runs and younger people (permits were a one in one out with a waiting list).

Boomboom22 · 09/12/2023 10:12

It's also equality gone mad. If they can't offer parking to all they come up with blanket rules, when being on call should clearly come with a permit for those times. And if op arrived early then stayed all day she can't be expected to drive home then walk back in.

SellFridges · 09/12/2023 10:24

As someone who has always chosen to live close to their workplace, I don’t see why this should be done on distance. I used to get told to go into the office when it snowed because I “could walk a couple miles”. While everyone else was home in the warm? Now I get the suggestion I should work from the office more “because you’re local”. Fuck off.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 09/12/2023 10:27

@CrazyTimes123 , for situations where someone has not driven in, and has to stay beyond the end of their rostered shift, we also have a taxi contract.

Aprilx · 09/12/2023 11:53

ChristmasDoDos · 07/12/2023 10:11

Yes it has been for my convenience - dropping kids to childcare across town then drive to work for one - checking animals yes also, as work is en route to where they are kept. Also, minimal/crap public transport here and who wants to walk 20 mins to work in the pissing rain on a cold wet winter morning? Sorry yes I have driven, shoot me.

I have had twenty minutes of walking in my commute for decades as well as a long train journey. Sometimes it rains, I put an umbrella up, it really is something that many people do.

I agree that you shy do not be forced to walk him at 2am, but otherwise the policy makes sense and sounds long overdue.

Wtfmmsnet · 09/12/2023 12:18

Just change your address with work to somewhere further away.

scratchyfannyofcocklane · 09/12/2023 12:25

If you think that's bad my employer has removed parking permits for anyone living less than 10 miles away! I don't live that far away but there's no direct public transport from where I live so it means catching a bus into the town centre and then another one out again.it adds an extra 10 hours a week to my commute plus the cost of 4 buses a day.
Needless to say I'm looking for another job (as are many of my colleagues)

SheilaFentiman · 09/12/2023 12:29

Wtfmmsnet · 09/12/2023 12:18

Just change your address with work to somewhere further away.

Then HR would update her address and payslips etc would be wrong.

user1477391263 · 09/12/2023 12:31

If expensing a taxi is an option at 2-3am after working all night, I think that is the best solution for everyone. It only just occurs to me, but someone who has been working all night doing a hard job and is now in the wee hours in the morning is almost certainly not safe to drive. Fatigued driving is about as safe as driving under the influence.

user1477391263 · 09/12/2023 12:33

SistaPB · 09/12/2023 08:42

Yanbu. Whilst the car parking and on call policies are separate, they need to do an equality impact assessment on the parking policy and duly consider disability, caring and personal safety issues. Generally speaking the policy sounds reasonable but there will be exceptions which they need to consider. It sounds reasonable for you to get a permit for your on call shifts.

The OP has animals, not dependent people. Caring responsibilities don’t enter into it.

SheilaFentiman · 09/12/2023 13:09

user1477391263 · 09/12/2023 12:33

The OP has animals, not dependent people. Caring responsibilities don’t enter into it.

Show quote history

The OP also has kids.

SistaPB · 09/12/2023 15:16

But the policy applies to everyone (not just OP) and it’s current format could be discriminatory as well as not providing a duty of care to staff on night shifts

Honolululu · 09/12/2023 16:33

YoullCatchYourDeathInTheFog · 09/12/2023 09:30

Have you considered a raincoat Honolulu? I think most non-drivers have noticed that it occasionally rains hard in the UK. Appropriate clothes and umbrellas are available.

OP I sympathise about the late night and emergency situation- a fifteen minute walk home at 2am on deserted streets is objectively a minuscule risk, but I certainly wouldn't fancy doing it in a regular basis. Good luck with approaching management and your union for some kind of adjustment of the policy.

However maybe if people who could have easily walked their regular shift commute hadn't been using the parking spaces the management wouldn't have felt the need to operate this rough and ready rationing.

No, I go out in heavy rain without a raincoat 🙄 Yes of course I have one - a North Face ski coat so pretty decent. Don't have an umbrella if pushing a buggy. I dress my daughter in waterproofs from head to toe and am going to get myself some waterproof trousers. My point was I'm in the minority as we are generally the only ones walking/cycling - we go on foot 95% of the time. Most other children are being driven to school, so I don't think the OP is doing anything different to many, many people.

ThePurpleFairy · 09/12/2023 19:40

YANBU, if I was waiting for emergency surgery at any time of day I’d rather the person I was waiting for drove over walking, however short the distance was! I wouldn’t be comfortable either walking or getting public transport at those times and I think you’re reasonable to say so (and point out the crossover issue too between a call out and normal shift)

HollowEgg · 09/12/2023 19:44

An OOH permit is acceptable. Definitely.

I used to live 0.8 miles from my office and would walk it, plus coming home to walk the dog at lunch time, on top of having to drive to the stables before and after work to do the horses.

God I was so slim back then 😆😆😆

Londonscallingme · 09/12/2023 21:21

Primproperpenny · 09/12/2023 08:03

Also - it’s discrimination to allow some staff parking spaces and not others, based on where they live. That’s irrelevant.

its not discrimination in a legal sense, which I assume is what you mean.

nocoolnamesleft · 09/12/2023 22:44

Crossinsomekindaline · 09/12/2023 09:22

Well, I walk just over a mile to school and back twice a day with a 3 and 5 year old. Takes us about 25 minutes.

I'm sure it won't do you any harm as a presumably fully functioning adult to walk less than a mile. I'm actually flabbergasted that you drive.

And the odd 2am occasion grab a taxi. Expense it.

You think the NHS would pay for the taxi if she did that? O you sweet summer child.

RedPony1 · 09/12/2023 23:12

I’d also drive even if i lived less than a mile from work - because i also go to work from the stables and straight back to the stables. So the address on my HR record is of no use to my employer - its not where i travel from/to.

AdoraBell · 09/12/2023 23:15

YANBU tell them you are not safe late night.

stichguru · 09/12/2023 23:40

A 20 minute walk to work everyday at reasonable times to walk, is FINE. You would never NEED to drive. (I regularly walk to the pool which takes about 20 mins, swim half a mile and walk back, whatever the weather, don't drive and the bus-able part of the route is so short I wouldn't be much drier!) Your job to plan your life so you can walk to work if you need to walk. However saying you won't walk in/back late evenings or early mornings because of safety so they need to provide parking or pay your taxi fares is totally reasonable.

SheilaFentiman · 09/12/2023 23:46

stichguru · 09/12/2023 23:40

A 20 minute walk to work everyday at reasonable times to walk, is FINE. You would never NEED to drive. (I regularly walk to the pool which takes about 20 mins, swim half a mile and walk back, whatever the weather, don't drive and the bus-able part of the route is so short I wouldn't be much drier!) Your job to plan your life so you can walk to work if you need to walk. However saying you won't walk in/back late evenings or early mornings because of safety so they need to provide parking or pay your taxi fares is totally reasonable.

And op says clearly that she will suck up the daytime changes.

Duechristmas · 10/12/2023 00:03

Our local hospital has zero onsite parking for staff, the park and ride is costly and adds half an hour on to both ends of the day, it sucks.

SussexSeaGal · 10/12/2023 00:05

Just tell them you've moved

Laterstarter · 10/12/2023 05:07

Not much to add other than I’ve found it really interesting that I’ve assumed you’re a vet, whilst everyone else has assumed nhs!

17 years of doing OOH (veterinary) I can empathise re the on call parking- no way when I’m going out in the middle of the night do I want to add an extra 40 minutes into the time I’m up for- everyone who thinks it’s not a big deal has probably never worked that kind of role. Also fully agree re the duty of care and personal safety.