A FULL review of parking at the Royal Blackburn Hospital has been demanded to ensure people can find official bays in time for crucial appointments.

Patients spokesman Russ McLean said its was ‘unacceptable’ for individuals seeking treatment to choose between missing their consultation or risking a cash penalty for using an unauthorised space.

MORE TOP STORIES:

He joined pensioner David Chambers, fined last month for parking on a grass verge when he could not find a bay, in calling for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust to review its outpatients parking provision.

Blackburn MP Kate Hollern is also seeking action.

The trust said it was constantly taking measures to ‘alleviate parking pressures on the site’ and discussing the issue with Blackburn with Darwen Council, adding that cars should not be able to enter its grounds if the car park was full.

Mr Chambers, 71, from Langho, said he drove round for more than 10 minutes after being let into the car park through the barrier at the Haslingden Road site.

On his return he discovered a £65 penalty for parking on a grass verge. He had left his car there so he could get to could make his appointment for a head scan on time.

He said several other patients had also been forced to park on verges or other unauthorised spaces on the afternoon of March 8 and had been ticketed.

The hospital has almost 2,000 spaces, 460 spaces reserved for patients and visitors and the remainder on a ‘first come first served basis’ shared with thousands of staff.

The minimum charge is £1.90 for up to three hours.

Mr Chambers said: “I am very, very angry.

“I appealed the ticket and was told I had to pay £65.

“There was no compassion or common sense.

“There were three or four other cars who, after waiting like me for a long time at a barrier marked ‘Full’ before getting in the car park and driving round, were unable to find a designated bay and had to park on verges or miss our appointments.

“I needed a scan for a lump on my skull which thankfully was ok.

“This is unacceptable.

“I contacted the trust who washed their hands of it and said it was the responsibility of the car park managers Indigo.

“It’s their car park so it’s their responsibility to provide spaces.

“The trust needs to urgently review the number of spaces it offers patients and visitors.”

Mr Chambers concerns have been echoed by Mr McLean, and Mrs Hollern’s constituency secretary Damian Talbot.

Cllr Talbot said: “In recent years this office has received a number of complaints about patients being penalised for unauthorised parking when they could not find a designated bay.

“Last year we resolved a case where a seriously-ill female constituent was given a ticket when she almost missed her appointment.

“Mrs Hollern would support a review to solve this problem.”

Mr McLean, chairman of the Pennine Lancashire Patients Voices Group, said: “It is clearly unacceptable if people attending the Royal Blackburn cannot get into the carpark or find a parking space in time for crucial appointments without facing a fine for parking in the wrong place.

“I would support a full and proper review of car parking provision so this terrible problem does not continue.”

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust estates director James Maguire said: “We are sorry Mr Chambers found it difficult to park and we continue to engage with the council around planning and parking facilities.

“We have implemented numerous initiatives to help alleviate parking pressures on the site.

“Parking in anything other than a marked bay can obstruct other patients, emergency vehicles and damages our grounds and gardens.

“Mr Chambers gained access to the car park through a barrier, there must have been a space available.”

A spokesman for Indigo Park Services UK Limited, which manages the car park, said: “We enforce the terms and conditions set by the trust which provides and allocates the spaces.”