Crackdown on parking charge rip-offs 'needed' but could be too late to help Dudley nurse

A government parking charges crackdown may be too late to help a Dudley nurse hit with a bill while she treated a sick child.

Dudley MP Sonia Kumar, who has taken up the case of community nurse Lisa Smith, says action on unfair private parking charges is welcome but her constituent’s case must be closed immediately.

Ms Smith fell foul of private parking pedantry while she was treating an acutely unwell child who lives on the fifth floor of a block of flats in Birmingham.

She has a pass for the block allowing 30 minutes’ free parking, but the home visit took longer than expected after medical staff got no answer from the buzzer and had to wait to be let into the building, before having to use stairs to reach the flat because lifts were out of order.

Now Ms Smith is facing a court order and a charge which has been escalated to £266.

Ms Kumar said: “Lisa was doing exactly what we ask of community nurses, caring for a sick baby at home, so the family didn’t have to go into hospital.

“The lifts were broken. She climbed five floors to reach her patient. And for that, she is now facing court action. It’s not good enough.”

In Westminster on Tuesday (October 20) the Government introduced a new private parking code of practice with measures including allowing five minutes to park and 10 minutes to leave plus new rights of appeal.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your number plate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.

“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.

“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”

Under the new code, delays like brief stops to check directions, medical emergencies, vehicle breakdowns or broken ticket machines will see charges dropped on appeal.

Errors like forgetting a parking permit and keying the wrong registration number into a machine will see a charge reduced to £20 on appeal while maximum parking charges will be frozen at £100.

Companies who do not abide by the new code will have access to DVLA data withdrawn which will make identifying drivers very difficult.

Sonia Kumar added: “Today the Government has set out new rules for private parking. Charges will be cancelled on appeal where drivers are caught out by things they can’t control. The Government will also look at the debt recovery fees that turn a parking charge into a bill of hundreds of pounds.

“I welcome that. Cases like Lisa’s are exactly why it’s needed.

“But the new rules aren’t in force yet, and Lisa can’t wait. I have asked the company to do the right thing now: look at the facts and cancel this charge.

“Nurses should be able to do their jobs without this hanging over them. I will keep fighting Lisa’s corner until it is put right.”