A PETITION over parking charges for hospital staff in Coventry has been launched by MP Zarah Sultana.
Ms Sultana, MP for Coventry South, said parking charges are costing workers at University Hospital up to £500 each year.
Chiefs at UHCW reinstated parking charges on its site at the end of June, following a period of subsidy by government.
Car parks are owned by private equity firm Innisfree under the hospital’s PFI contract.
Launching her petition, Ms Sultana said: “This is no way to thank our incredible NHS staff for their selfless work through this pandemic – parking charges cost as much as £500 a year for NHS staff at University Hospital Coventry.
“The charges come on top of a decade of falling pay for many NHS workers and the frequent wrongful issuing of parking fines at the hospital car parks.”
“In Scotland and Wales, parking at NHS hospitals is free for staff, patients and visitors. It should be free in Coventry too.”
Seeking parliamentary support for action against hospital parking charges, Ms Sultana tabled a motion with the signatures of 30 cross-party MPs,, including former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
“After everything they’ve done for us during this pandemic, our incredible NHS staff deserve extra support, but instead the Government is taking it away,” the Labour MP added.
“I’ve launched this petition to tell the Government that this grossly unfair decision should be reversed. In Scotland and Wales, hospital parking is free for staff, patients and visitors. It should be here in Coventry as well.”
UHCW and Innisfree have been contacted for comment.