Good Morning!

Thank you for supporting my petition. Over 350,000 supporters in 3 days! If ever there was any doubt as to what is right and what is wrong here, surely, we can see the answer now?

As a GP, like so many of those supporting this petition, I have absolutely no financial interest in this cause at all. My surgery has its own car park and of course, we do not charge anyone to use it, not even those who work there!

I do have patients who work for the NHS in hospitals though and I have seen first-hand the upset and hardship this issue causes. That was the trigger for this petition in fact.

The parking charges are typically deducted from staff salary in the form of a pay-cut, but because it’s taken as a ‘payment’ staff may also be charged income tax on the money that’s been deducted. Successive governments have already pledged to end or reduce these fees, but in fact, charges went up by 24% in 2018-2019.  Those that can’t afford to agree to the deduction face massive penalty fines for parking at work.

Can I propose that we now look forward and not back? Our whole world is changing around us. We face huge uncertainty and, understandably, people are fearful of what is about to unfold.

Our collective view of what and who we value in our society is being recalibrated. Issues like this, which are very obviously unfair, are being brought into sharp focus and we are realising that it’s okay to show each other acts of kindness. 

As we all pause, and wait for the virus to impact, we have an opportunity to look at how we are living and get better.

So, let’s get better.

Abolishing unfair parking charges for the NHS Workforce now, as they risk their lives to save us, is surely not too much to ask?