More than 3,000 sign NHS staff parking petition launched by Telford man
More than 3,000 people have now signed a petition demanding that parking charges for NHS staff at hospitals in Shropshire and the rest of the UK are permanently scrapped.
The charges have been temporarily lifted by Health Secretary Matt Hancock during the coronavirus outbreak.
In Shropshire, parking charges for staff and visitors have been suspended at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital near Oswestry.
A local petition on the issue, started about a month ago by Marcus Keane from Telford, has now attracted more than 3,350 signatures as it calls for the charges to be axed permanently.
Shona Baynham, of Telford, who recently signed the petition, posted: "I think parking should be free for all.
"It's like another tax on the sick.
"To charge people to work at a hospital, that's just wrong."
Another supporter, Stephen Birch, of Shrewsbury, wrote: "No one should have to pay to park while simply just doing their job.
"It's wrong and must change."
The petition is at change.org/p/matthew-hancock-mp-make-free-car-parking-at-all-hospitals-permanently-free-for-all-nhs-staff
