Parking fear for charities

Volunteer drivers who ferry cancer patients to a Dudley hospital are being charged for parking - with charities fearing the cost could threaten the service.

Published Sep 14, 2006

Charities, including Dudley Cancer Support, offer free transport for people needing cancer treatment. Previously drivers could park for free at Russells Hall Hospital.

But it emerged today that they now have to pay fees at the Dudley hospital.

Volunteers parking at Sandwell General Hospital and Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital are also charged. Breast cancer patient and Blackheath councillor Shirley Ching uses the service and said she was outraged when drivers told her the charities were forking out for parking. "This is just so spiteful; it's money grabbing, " she said.

"The transport service offered to cancer patients is invaluable, and it would be disastrous if the charities had to stop it because it could no longer afford the financial burden. Without this service, patients would have to rely on public transport or hospital transport."

Although drivers can claim back parking fees through the charity, many are choosing to drop off patients and give them a phone number to ring when they are ready to be picked up, meaning they have to make extra journeys.

Debbie Robinson from Bridges Support Services in Oldbury, another group affected, said: "In the past, drivers could park for free but now they have to pay.

"The majority of people who use our service have to go to hospital every day for a month, so the parking fees are an extra cost for us.

"If we cannot cope with the cost we may not be able to run the service."

The private firm Interserve, responsible for parking at Russells Hall Hospital, has pledged to meet Dudley Cancer Support to discuss parking.

General manager John Evison said: "We have not been approached by them about this but we would like to work out some practical arrangements."

By Heather Loat

Popular stories: