More than 1,600 sign NHS staff parking petition launched by Telford man

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced last month that parking charges for staff would be axed during the coronavirus pandemic.

There had been mounting public pressure, with more than 400,000 people signing a Change.org petition for the fees to be scrapped.

In Shropshire, parking charges for staff and visitors have been suspended at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry.

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But there have been fresh calls for hospital parking fees to be scrapped permanently for NHS staff – not just during the covid-19 crisis.

Marcus Keane, from Telford, started a new petition just over a fortnight ago to lobby the Government for this to be done, and it now has the backing of more than 1,670 people.

Messages of support for the move have also been posted.

Karen Tong, of Telford, said: "Staff do a wonderful job and should not be penalised by paying parking fees or fines.

"This should be a permanent action."

Steve Massey, of Trench, said: "It is disgraceful how they have to pay to save lives."

Yvonne Higgs, of Telford, posted: "One of my friends works for the hospital and I think it's disgraceful that she has to pay to park at a place she works for 12 hours plus a day, especially in the current circumstances where she and others are putting their lives in danger to help others.

"The least we can do is allow them to park their cars for free whilst they are doing this work."

Sarah Harrison, of Telford, said: "NHS staff should not have to pay for car parking while they are busy working saving lives. "Not just today, not just tomorrow but every day, day in day out!"

A number of NHS workers across the UK have also signed the petition.

Andrea Nugent, of Crewe, said: "I work for the NHS and have no choice but to drive there.

"It’s not fair that I should have to pay when we are already on low salaries.

"The car park isn’t even maintained very well to justify the payments from all staff."

The petition states: "If there is one thing that the coronavirus has taught us, is that our NHS staff are vital to our wellbeing and as such, they should be permanently exempt from paying car parking at all NHS hospitals around the whole of the UK."

It can be signed at www.change.org/p/matthew-hancock-mp-make-free-car-parking-at-all-hospitals-permanently-free-for-all-nhs-staff