Hospital patients fined after car park 'confusion'

A couple say "confusing" signs and changes to bay-markings at a hospital car park have led to £100 fines being issued to motorists.

Oxford's Churchill Hospital's car park four is the responsibility of private company, Parking Eye, with changes recently introduced including new bays for disabled users.

But regular patient Terry Nicholls, from Marlborough, Wiltshire, said people were being caught out, with contradictory signs resulting in cars being parked in the wrong areas.

Parking Eye has not responded for a request to comment. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), which runs the hospital, has apologised for any confusion.

Terry drives to the hospital every three months for blood tests.

But on his most recent visit in January, he was told by a nurse to expect a fine for parking in the same area as he had been directed to on previous occasions.

The zone now has a Parking Eye sign, stating "blue badge holders only" but directly next to it is an NHS sign stating "blood test parking only".

His wife, Glenice, who was with him during his last appointment, said lots of other people were also confused.

"A man came up to Terry to say he's likely going to get a ticket... then another lady... asked 'do you understand the system?' Everybody was confused," she said.

The couple is warning other patients in a hope to avoid them being fined.

Glenice said: "£100 is a week's food shopping money or could go towards your heating bill.

"It's a lot of money. We don't want anyone to be in the same situation."

An OUH spokesperson apologised for any confusion caused by the blood test sign and said they were trying to work out "how it got there and remove it".

"We're exploring options of creating designated bays in this car park for blood tests, and also putting a replacement payment machine in the area to make things easier," they added.

The trust confirmed an independent appeals process was available for anyone who wishes to challenge their ticket and all money raised from parking charges goes back into patient and visitor services.