An NHS Trust issued a parking fine to a funeral director who stopped his vehicle outside hospital doors to collect a body.
Jason Price turned up to Lincoln Hospital with the company’s private ambulance to collect the deceased and was hit with a £42 parking penalty notice less than a week later. As owner of Price and Son Independent Family Funeral Directors, Price, 52, has called for changes to be made to ensure that private ambulances are not penalised for collecting the dead, an essential service.
“Our vehicle is a Mondeo ambulance and it even says ‘private ambulance’ on the back – so we were clearly not there as visitors.
“I think the whole parking issue at hospitals needs addressing as so many people are confused about changing rules.
“It’s not the fine but the principle of this, fining a private ambulance is really low. Especially when we are carrying out our duties.
“The hospital has since said that if we let them know in advance then we would have avoided the fine.
"But nobody has told us that so how are we supposed to know?”
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Lincoln Hospital has offered to refund the parking fine but advised that the vehicle’s number plate could be registered to avoid further penalties.
We work very closely with funeral directors across the county and ask that they provide us with their vehicle registration details so that they do not have to pay for parking when visiting our sites.
“We also have an option where they can input their registration number on any visit to our hospitals.
“If we are not given this information then unfortunately, it will result in a parking charge notice being issued.”