During the Covid-19 pandemic, key workers of the northern care alliance were permitted to park on car parks belonging to Salford Royal Hospital.

During recent months, car parks closest to the hospital have returned to solely being patient car parks however, staff have parked on a permit holder only car park.

As of the 3rd of November, this car park will now only be available to permit holders. Applications for permits have been closed for a number of years with promises to be opened time and time again. A considerable number of staff now have nowhere to park and have been given no assistance or support.

In today’s climate, we as staff feel unsafe and vulnerable. We agree that patients come first however staff are working 12 hour shifts, staying late to provide life saving surgery, and are now expected to walk on their own, in the dark of winter to their car through dangerous streets.

Our options are to park on residential streets which is unfair to residents and staff have experienced vandalism or to park at tram stops whereby staff can occur a fine.

In previous years, staff were routinely harassed, mugged and sustained criminal damages, this is unacceptable. This presents a huge safety and welfare risk to staff, which ultimately Salford Royal is liable for.

Staff are not asking for much, we just want parking available nearby to our place of work where we can walk to whilst feeling safe, we are not prepared to feel vulnerable coming into work.