Forum Topic

999 Ambulances receive parking fines

I am a Paramedic working at the ambulance station on Goldhawk Rd. Due to the limited parking space, the ambulances often have to park on Goldhawk Rd while on standby. This is so staff can park their cars on the forcourt. Many staff members cannot afford to live close to work and the unsocial working hours mean that driving to work is the only option.Recently H&F council have been ticketing ambulances parked on Goldhawk Rd. When confronted they say that we are no different to any other business and must obeye local parking restrictions. The London Ambulance Service say they have no obligation to provide parking spaces for staff and so we must pay the fines.It is becoming more likely that the Service will move your ambulances to Hanwell where there is sufficient parking space. Once this happens your area will have no emergency cover because the minute the ambulances are in commission at Hanwell they will be dispached to jobs in that area. This is your ambulance service that you pay for.ps: The council will not issue staff local parking permits.

Graeme Proudfoot ● 7560d8 Comments

Ironically the Council probably takes the money from all the tickets it is issuing you to put in more road bumps to make your lives even more difficult. Do you know which parliamentary constituency the station is in?

Ellen Kearney ● 7510d

Well as i suspected ive got no reply from the Head of the Council,just like some of his councilers never reply to.So the harrassment and intimidation of Hammersmiths only  NHS Emergency Ambulance Station and its crews on station or on emergency calls gos on,as it has been for many years now.

Max Hamilton ● 7528d

Unfortunately in this case Andrew Slaughter remains dogmatically attached to the principle of bus lanes rather than concerned to seek a pragmatic solution to the problem. I wrote to him on the issue and there was no suggestion that any ground would be given.

Paul Corcoran ● 7531d

I will write to the head of the council, but i do not think much will be done as this problem has been going on for years now  a couple of the councilers invoved nothing has happend and the Head of Parking Mr Roger Khanna, says his Parking Attenedents are just carrying out there job.And is 100% unhelpful,and by the tone of some of the replys the the crews have had in the past,and the attitude of his Parking Attendents they take great pleasure in harrassing and intimadating the your local Emergency Ambulance station and its crews when on station or out on Emergency calls in Hammersmith or Fulham

Max Hamilton ● 7531d

I suspect as mere 'residents' we all agree that this situation is absolutely disgusting and ludicrious.  We live in a borough where the local authority generates revenue from residents parking permits, meters etc, fines and just about any way it can possibly think of indirectly taxing us and seems determined to exercise no common sense or decency.  I would strongly suggest that you write to Andrew Slaughter, Leader of the Council, as he, at least, has shown himself capable of exercising common sense.

Fiona Campbell ● 7543d

Yes you are right the council give us tickets on a reguler basis ,the over day they even gave us one when the ambulance had broken down and was being put on a recovery truck.we get them outside the ambulance station when waiting for emergency calls and even on emergency calls in Hammersmith and Fulham.Its not just us that get tickets but all so the fire and Police Services. But the wardens seem to take great pleasure in Harrasing and intimadating the EMERGENCY NHS AMBULANCE CREWS. The head of parking is Mr Roger Khanna. and his web address is                        Roger.Khanna@lbhf.gov.uki have been writing to him about harrass the people of Hammersmiths only emergency ambulance staion and there crews,and by his responses to me it seems he takes great pleasure in sending his staff to ticket us,and by the rude and intimadating response we get from his staff the too take great pleasure in issuing them.Yes let everyone know how greedy and uncaring the parking department are ,in the name of Hammersmith council and at the end of it the Hammersmith and Fulham council tax payer

Max Hamilton ● 7549d

Thanks for your support Pat. The station is just in Hammersmith and Fulham borough and it is their wardens who are writing the tickets. I believe the highways department would be responsible for those wardens.

Graeme Proudfoot ● 7560d

I drove past the station a couple of days ago and noticed a warden writing a ticket and was puzzled as I could see no cars about.  I was on the verge of stopping and asking what he was doing but I was on my way to do voluntary work at the London Buddhist Vihara who have a relief fund for the disaster in Sri Lanka.The world has gone mad and our Local Authority in particular is overtaken with greed.  The issue of parking permits to the paramedics makes sense.  Is the station in Hammersmith & Fulham or Chiswick?  As many people as possible should bombard them with emails in support of permits for your station so let me know the borough and I will endeavour to find an email address.

Pat Smith ● 7560d