**Hospital Visitor Penalised £170 After Parking at Free Hospital Car Park in Cardiff**
A 59-year-old Cardiff woman has spoken out after being issued a £170 penalty notice for parking at what she believed was a free car park at St David’s Hospital, Canton, sparking further concerns about the handling of NHS hospital parking for vulnerable visitors. The case comes amidst a cascade of similar complaints from patients and families who have faced unexpected fines while making use of hospital car parks, fuelling debate about the clarity and fairness of parking policies at NHS facilities across Wales.
Krystyna Phillips, who resides in the Heath area of Cardiff, had been making frequent visits to St David’s Hospital to see her 96-year-old mother, who is living with dementia. According to Mrs Phillips, she always made sure to properly display her blue badge and diligently entered her vehicle registration into the dedicated machines at the hospital’s reception, as is required for visitors making use of the car park.
Despite her efforts to comply with the parking rules, Mrs Phillips received a formal letter from Parking Eye, the private company responsible for managing parking at St David’s Hospital, several weeks after one of her visits. The letter contained a penalty notice for £170, and also warned that failure to pay could result in legal action and potentially impact her credit rating.
Reflecting on the experience, Mrs Phillips shared, “It completely threw me, to be honest. I can only think that perhaps on one occasion, I may have stayed a few minutes over the limit while saying goodbye to my mum. Leaving someone with dementia isn’t always straightforward – it can take longer than expected.”
She went on to describe additional distress caused by follow-up correspondence from Parking Eye, including threats of court action. Mrs Phillips added, “I’ve felt particularly vulnerable. My arm is broken, I need my wheelchair, and my mum was very unwell at the time. The stress has really been unsettling, and the thought that this could affect my finances or lead to bailiffs is frightening.”
The rules at St David’s Hospital are intended to be straightforward: visitors must enter their vehicle registration into a machine at reception, which enables them to park for free for up to two hours. Exceeding this limit or failing to register properly can result in fines. However, there is growing evidence that the system is not working as intended for everyone. Social media are awash with patient and visitor accounts complaining of fines even after following the correct procedure or for very brief visits.
One such account claimed a visitor had received four fines in a single week, while another described being fined after only parking for ten minutes. These anecdotes suggest widespread confusion and highlight the stressful impact of the current parking enforcement system on patients and families already experiencing challenging circumstances.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said, “It is essential for us to operate a fair and equitable parking system at St David’s Hospital, which is why Parking Eye’s services are used. Space is limited, and the system is designed to ensure those who need to park for appointments have the opportunity to do so.”
The health board further stated that if patients or visitors have a legitimate reason for overstaying, such as medical emergencies or longer-than-expected appointments, they are encouraged to contact the Health Board to discuss the situation, so support can be offered and appeals to Parking Eye considered. The spokesperson added, “Visitors believing they have been fined in error may submit an appeal through Parking Eye’s website.”
Parking Eye also indicated their willingness to investigate complaints put forward by motorists who feel they have been unfairly penalised. The company maintains that its system is intended to ensure fair access to limited parking spaces, but did not comment on the flood of complaints from St David’s Hospital visitors.
The incident at St David’s highlights the tension between managing limited resources and adequately supporting some of the most vulnerable members of society. With mounting calls for clearer communication and a more compassionate approach, calls for reform of hospital parking protocols across Wales are likely to grow louder. As for Mrs Phillips, she remains adamant she has done nothing wrong and is prepared to challenge the penalty, saying, “I’d rather go to court than pay a fine for simply trying to care for my mum.”