Northampton health centre with more than 30,000 patients left with just two parking spaces
Exasperated patients at Weston Favell Health Centre, off Billing Brook Road, have been forced to risk fines on surrounding streets and the nearby shopping centre car park after Lings Forum Leisure Centre installed license plate recognition cameras on the shared lot.
Despite the centre using the car park for over 30 years, patients now have just two disabled parking spaces to choose from and face fines if they pull up under Lings' new cameras.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLings, which is run by Trilogy Leisure, say their "responsibility is to our customers".
It comes after another lot behind the centre with 50 spaces was closed and sold to developers in 2016.
Julie Martin, a practise manager for Favell Plus - one of the centre's three surgeries - said: "It's just not fair on patients. Staff have been helping dropped-off disabled patients out of cars while the drivers go find spaces.
"We need a solution. They could reopen the closed lot or work something out with Tescos to let patients park there. But it this can't go on."
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLings Forum has declared the car park for "patrons only" and can fine non-members cars detected by the new cameras.
A spokesman for Trilogy Leisure said: "Due to an increase in the amount of non-centre users parking at the Lings Forum car park we have had to introduce the new parking eye system to ensure our customers can park their vehicles safely and securely when they visit us.
"We do appreciate that parking for nearby services is in high demand. Our responsibility is to our customers."
One woman who takes her 70-year-old mother to the centre for appointments said: "I don't think it's fair. I don't understand why it's [Lings Forum's] car park all of a sudden."