Broomfield Hospital has blamed strict Chelmsford Borough Council planning policies for its chronic car parking difficulties for patients and visitors.
A furious outpatient was forced to park hundreds of yards away - then given a £30 penalty ticket by a borough parking attendant.
Even after a plea from Chelmsford West MP Simon Burns the council declined to waive the fine. Springfield resident Pat Miller, who was being tested for anaemia, protested to the council who refused to scrap the fine although the car was parked on a concrete apron off Hospital Approach, where other cars were parked on the grass verge.
This week Mid-Essex Hospitals Trust chief executive Andrew Pike told a public forum that parking was a major cause of complaint from patients and visitors.
Mrs Miller said: "Parking is a nightmare at the hospital. My husband dropped me at outpatients and because he was coming to see the doctor with me drove three times round the car parks to seek a space."
Published Friday January 23, 2004
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