Smart Parking being booted out of hospital car park management, The start of reform across England? |
Smart Parking being booted out of hospital car park management, The start of reform across England? |
Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 10:11
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Webmaster Group: Root Admin Posts: 8,205 Joined: 30 Mar 2003 From: Wokingham, UK Member No.: 2 |
QUOTE (Henley Standard) THE parking enforcement firm which has issued dozens of unfair fines to patients at Townlands Memorial Hospital in Henley is set to be axed. Health Minister Stephen Barclay says NHS Property Services, which owns the site off York Road, is tendering for a new company to run all its car parks nationwide. This is unlikely to be Smart Parking, which has faced repeated calls to be sacked from Townlands following complaints from patients, as highlighted by the Henley Standard’s Not Very Smart parking campaign. In correspondence with Henley MP John Howell, Mr Barclay said the new contractor was due to be appointed next month and Townlands would be transferred to it “in due course”. Health chiefs must give Smart Parking 90 days’ notice, meaning the company will continue enforcing parking at Townlands until December at the earliest. The firm was fired from a similar arrangement at Aldershot Centre for Health in May and also lost its contract for enforcing the Henley GP surgeries on the Townlands complex following repeated complaints. The full article is here. The most interesting part is this, which seems to imply that a management fee-only scheme is being rolled out across NHS England sites nationally: QUOTE NHS Property Services promised to work with patient and community representatives on the new scheme. It also said any income generated by fines would not be kept by the new provider, as has the case with Smart Parking scheme. Tony Griffiths, head of facilities management special projects, said: “We would like to appoint the national provider before September and all our car parks that need some form of management, including Townlands Memorial Hospital, would, in time, be run by that provider. -------------------- Regards,
Fredd __________________________________________________________________________
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Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 10:11
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Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 10:18
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,510 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
If only everyone knew that every single Smart PCN issued is simply beat by a few words about the Protection of Freedoms Act... (or lack of using it)
ParkingEye have a lot of hospital contracts, I wonder if that will change... -------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 12:32
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 4,126 Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Member No.: 96,238 |
Whenever we see a report that a company has been booted out, it's replaced by one that's even worse
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Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 12:51
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#4
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Webmaster Group: Root Admin Posts: 8,205 Joined: 30 Mar 2003 From: Wokingham, UK Member No.: 2 |
Whenever we see a report that a company has been booted out, it's replaced by one that's even worse If the contract is being replaced by one that only pays the company a management fee, then at least any rapacious penalty-issuing policies can't be blamed on them. Whether an NHS Trust will be any more able to resist the money-making opportunity than was a PPC will be interesting to see. -------------------- Regards,
Fredd __________________________________________________________________________
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Thu, 9 Aug 2018 - 17:27
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,198 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
Indeed if the new scheme uses a service provider it should make it easier for the NHS trusts to follow the government’s guidance on how parking controls should be used.
-------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Fri, 10 Aug 2018 - 17:12
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 3,306 Joined: 4 Mar 2017 Member No.: 90,659 |
At our hospital we have the tickets handed out by security and then enforced by the gormless idiots at Trethowans.
It actually works surprisingly well - wards have discretion to hand out either free or £1.30/day permits for visitors. The free/discounted permits only work in staff car parks so there is incentive for staff not to hand them out to evrryone. Much as I dislike Trethowans the sites are very busy and this is probably the best out of several less than ideal options. |
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Fri, 10 Aug 2018 - 17:40
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Webmaster Group: Root Admin Posts: 8,205 Joined: 30 Mar 2003 From: Wokingham, UK Member No.: 2 |
It actually works surprisingly well - wards have discretion to hand out either free or £1.30/day permits for visitors. The free/discounted permits only work in staff car parks so there is incentive for staff not to hand them out to evrryone. Very reasonable compared with my local hospital: Up to 1 hour £1.50. Up to 2 hours £3.00. Up to 3 hours £4.50. Up to 4 hours £6.00. Up to 6 hours £9.00 Good luck ever getting away with 1 hour - not least because during the day you'll spend most of that time driving around in circles looking for a space. To be fair they do offer free permits for those at death's door and their visitors, because "Our Values: Compassionate | Aspirational | Resourceful | Excellent". -------------------- Regards,
Fredd __________________________________________________________________________
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Sat, 11 Aug 2018 - 20:16
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 3,306 Joined: 4 Mar 2017 Member No.: 90,659 |
The thing is even before I worked for the NHS I have never paid for parking because hospital sites are so huge there is always somewhere you can tuck away the car, especially if they have a staff/bus/service entrance where yellow lines tend to be more patchy.
When Mrs NML had her maternity appointments then gave birth there was a lovely patch of grass across from the maternity block that you could access via a service road. I happily parked along that every time whilst others were queuing for the paid car parks. Must have saved a decent bit of beer money over the nine months. |
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Sun, 12 Aug 2018 - 11:28
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 25,726 Joined: 28 Jun 2010 From: Area 51 Member No.: 38,559 |
Our local hospital trusts have all gone to pay on exit.
Fees are not unreasonable (IMO) for longer stays but.... 30 minutes free (good luck with that) then a jump to £3 for 2 hours, no 1 hour option. Right pee take if you manage to get in and out in 45 minutes Up to 2 hours £3 4 hours £5 6 hours £7 24 hours £10 |
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Mon, 13 Aug 2018 - 05:37
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#10
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,198 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
Ours is similar
0 minutes - 1 hour £2.60 1 hour - 2 hours £3.10 2 hours - 4 hours £4.70 4 hours - 6 hours £7.30 6 hours - 24 hours £9.40 Weekly Ticket £15.60 Pay at exit using entry ticket, so at least no PPC trip you up payment system. This post has been edited by The Rookie: Mon, 13 Aug 2018 - 05:40 -------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Mon, 13 Aug 2018 - 08:02
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 4,126 Joined: 31 Jan 2018 Member No.: 96,238 |
That's the system that they should be using
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/...ement-htm-07-03 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/...king-principles |
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Mon, 13 Aug 2018 - 10:39
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#12
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,198 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
To be fair Warwick hospital used that right from the start.
As did University hospital Walsgrave in Coventry, the problem there is it can take 30 minutes to find a space during which you are paying for a parking space they aren’t providing. -------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 10:41
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 6,963 Joined: 19 Dec 2006 From: Near Calais Member No.: 9,683 |
William Harvey Hospital in Ashford has recently gone over to pay-as-you-exit parking. the few times I've been there recently one of the exit barriers has been up as it's free parking after a certain time, but still mugs were queueing up to buy tickets and leave through the closed barrier, totally ignoring the open one! Otherwise I park in a small estate across the road where it's free but limited to 3 hours with no return within 1 hour.
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 17:39
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,535 Joined: 16 Jan 2009 From: Up north Member No.: 25,505 |
Ours is similar 0 minutes - 1 hour £2.60 1 hour - 2 hours £3.10 2 hours - 4 hours £4.70 4 hours - 6 hours £7.30 6 hours - 24 hours £9.40 Weekly Ticket £15.60 Pay at exit using entry ticket, so at least no PPC trip you up payment system. pay on exit is an appalling idea. Go for an appointment at 9am, then not leave till 3pm due to delay etc. The total time of actual medical care in that 6hrs was 25minutes. Why should I have to pay the NHS for its delays -------------------- Bridges burnt, Rubicons crossed. Parthian shots delivered, but always with style
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 17:45
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#15
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,198 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
Ours is similar 0 minutes - 1 hour £2.60 1 hour - 2 hours £3.10 2 hours - 4 hours £4.70 4 hours - 6 hours £7.30 6 hours - 24 hours £9.40 Weekly Ticket £15.60 Pay at exit using entry ticket, so at least no PPC trip you up payment system. pay on exit is an appalling idea. Go for an appointment at 9am, then not leave till 3pm due to delay etc. The total time of actual medical care in that 6hrs was 25minutes. Why should I have to pay the NHS for its delays How is that different from a pay and display? -------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 17:58
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#16
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,535 Joined: 16 Jan 2009 From: Up north Member No.: 25,505 |
Ours is similar 0 minutes - 1 hour £2.60 1 hour - 2 hours £3.10 2 hours - 4 hours £4.70 4 hours - 6 hours £7.30 6 hours - 24 hours £9.40 Weekly Ticket £15.60 Pay at exit using entry ticket, so at least no PPC trip you up payment system. pay on exit is an appalling idea. Go for an appointment at 9am, then not leave till 3pm due to delay etc. The total time of actual medical care in that 6hrs was 25minutes. Why should I have to pay the NHS for its delays How is that different from a pay and display? There should be no charge at all. -------------------- Bridges burnt, Rubicons crossed. Parthian shots delivered, but always with style
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 20:53
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#17
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,198 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
That’s maybe so, but it makes no difference whether it’s pay on exit or pay and display or ‘guess the stay and oay’ In that respect does it?
-------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 21:22
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#18
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Member Group: Members Posts: 25,726 Joined: 28 Jun 2010 From: Area 51 Member No.: 38,559 |
...….pay on exit is an appalling idea. Go for an appointment at 9am, then not leave till 3pm due to delay etc. The total time of actual medical care in that 6hrs was 25minutes. Why should I have to pay the NHS for its delays I can see an argument for free parking if undergoing treatment but surely if charges are to be levied, far better to pay on exit then guess at the beginning and if delayed, risk a £100 invoice and the subsequent battle to avoid paying. |
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Wed, 15 Aug 2018 - 21:52
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#19
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Member Group: Members Posts: 3,306 Joined: 4 Mar 2017 Member No.: 90,659 |
Ours is similar 0 minutes - 1 hour £2.60 1 hour - 2 hours £3.10 2 hours - 4 hours £4.70 4 hours - 6 hours £7.30 6 hours - 24 hours £9.40 Weekly Ticket £15.60 Pay at exit using entry ticket, so at least no PPC trip you up payment system. pay on exit is an appalling idea. Go for an appointment at 9am, then not leave till 3pm due to delay etc. The total time of actual medical care in that 6hrs was 25minutes. Why should I have to pay the NHS for its delays There are very few healthcare systems where everything runs to time. Even in our most boring clinics you can turn up anything right up to heart problems which mean they are blue lighted over to cardiac ICU. Much more often it is neurotic patients or ones who struggle to understand the concept of "waiting list". Believe it or not outpatient staff, who are paid a fixed shift no matter how late they finish, don't purposely run late to make money on car parking. All of our clinics run at 100% capacity. The only way to reduce overruns would be to make everyone wait longer. |
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