Sarah Carr Questions Hereford Hospital on Car Parking Charges for Disabled and Elderly
10.06.55am GMT Mon 30th Nov 2009
Sarah Carr, local campaigner and Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for Hereford, Ross and South Herefordshire, is championing the cause of many elderly and disabled residents in Herefordshire angered by the expensive car parking charges at Hereford County Hospital.
Mrs Carr has been contacted by local disabled and elderly residents about the cost of parking at the Hospital. As a result Sarah has written to the Hospital Chief Executive Martin Woodford asking why there are no car parking charge concessions or exemptions for patients and visitors with Blue Disabled badges and further whether they have considered revising the concessions list or abolishing Car Park Charges for more vulnerable groups. In Scotland and Wales hospital car parking charges have been abolished.
Commenting Sarah Carr said,
"Parking at the County Hospital is expensive especially for the elderly and disabled who often have to manage on a limited fixed income. They simply cannot afford expensive car parking charges for essential treatments. In times of recession hospital car parking charges become much more prohibitive for a wider group of residents including those with young families and those with long-term illnesses. In reviewing this issue I have been surprised to find the car parking concession list to be very limited including that no concession is given to those people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance when they visit Hereford County Hospital.
"As a result I have written to the Hereford Hospital Trust Chief Executive about the car parking charges and will share his reply to all those who have contacted me on this issue. Nationally, pensioners get a poor deal from government. I strongly believe that the link between pensions and earning must be reintroduced as currently many pensioners struggle to get by. With some pensioners facing the dilemma of 'eat or heat' they do not need the added burden of expensive car parking charges for essential hospital treatments".
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