THE SITE manager at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital last night insisted parking charges do bring some benefits to patients.

Although sympathetic to the public’s distaste for the charges, Brian Main said they helped ensure a disciplined system at the car parks—meaning spaces are always available to those who need them most.

“Before we went down the road of charging, one of the issues was that the car park was just absolutely chock-a-block,” he said. “Patients, visitors and staff were being disadvantaged.”

He told The Courier that a “free-for-all” system, in which anybody could park without being charged, could lead to a situation where patients and relatives struggle to find a space.

“Of course there is the moral issue of why some people should have to pay and others not, but I do think that in some cases there is a requirement just to control the numbers,” said Mr Main, head of support services at NHS Tayside.

“We have got to accept that Ninewells Hospital is unique as we have a very efficient bus terminal,” he explained.

“The biggest concern if there was free parking here is that it would turn into a park-and-ride for people who work in Dundee.”

The fact that charges will continue at Ninewells while being scrapped at almost every other hospital in Scotland has become an emotive issue since the government announcement was made earlier this week.

Mr Main believes the current system—where the car parks at Ninewells are run by private firm Vinci Park—does have its advantages.

He said, “Parking at Ninewells hasn’t been without its problems but since we carried out a very thorough review recently I believe it has worked fairly well.

“Now, obviously some staff continue to be upset that they have to pay to go to work and patients say they would prefer not to have to pay, but the fact is we simply do not have enough spaces to fill the demand.

“Meanwhile, we are trying to discourage people from going to work in their cars for environmental reasons. But are we now saying never mind about the carbon footprint —bring your cars to work because it is free to park?”

Mr Main added that NHS Tayside would fight to ensure the charges at Ninewells are kept to a minimum.

“I am quite fortunate in one respect in that I think that of the three hospitals in Scotland that still have charges in place we are by far the cheapest,” he said.

“In Edinburgh and Glasgow you are talking £8 a day, whereas we are sitting at £1.60. In that respect it’s not such a big issue.

“If I was looking at a PFI contract that was asking people to pay £8-a-day I don’t think I would be happy with that.

“We will make sure that there is no way that PFI charges here will ever be allowed to climb to that level.”

Ninewells car parks are run by private firm Vinci Park, who still have around 20 years of a contract to run.

A deal was struck with the previous holder of the contract to build the multi storey car park on site under PFI arrangements.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday called on NHS Tayside to work with Vinci Park to minimise the inconvenience to visitors by limiting or reducing the car park charges.

Mr Main said Vinci Park would be happy to reduce car parking charges but they would then ask “where to send the bill” to compensate them for their loss of income under the contract.

He said, “At Ninewells, although charges will remain we will continue to work closely with Vinci Park to keep charges as low as possible.

“Together we’ve introduced a number of initiatives for patients including the award-winning hospital mobility scheme.

“In addition, certain patients who need to attend Ninewells on a frequent and regular basis for critical treatment, and their families, may be issued with parking vouchers.”

IF YOU have any views on this contentious subject or have had a bad experience using the car parks at Ninewells, Email us at courier@dcthomson.co.uk or call 01382 575290