NHS staff must pay for parking after free passes end next week
TWO-WEEK TRANSITION PERIOD FOR WORKERS
A FREE parking scheme for NHS staff will end next week.
The government-backed concession was introduced during the Covid pandemic to support key workers, and is set to expire on Monday, June 21.
It allows NHS staff, volunteers and health and social workers to park for free in council car parks while carrying out their duties.
All local authorities, including
North East Lincolnshire Council, will no longer be accepting the concession after it expires.
Normal enforcement action will be taken against NHS staff who don’t meet the restrictions.
However, there will be a two week transition period in which warning notices will be issued instead.
From Monday, July 5, vehicles continuing to display the parking concession pass will risk receiving a penalty charge notice.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport, said that the council needed to keep parking available.
“This parking concession was always a temporary measure and in line with national guidance and other local authorities, we are now ending the concession in North East Lincolnshire,” Councillor Swinburn said.
“As a local authority, we have a duty to ensure that the roads keep moving and parking is open and available for use. It is essential our road network is available for all.
“We appreciate the impact this will have on our local NHS and health and social care workforce and in an effort to avoid them receiving a penalty charge notice, our civil enforcement officers will be issuing warning notices on vehicles display
ing the pass for two weeks after Monday, June 21, as they adjust to the parking changes.”
The expiration date of the passes would have been the day in which all lockdown restrictions were finally lifted.
However, due to concern about a third wave caused by the Delta variant, this has been put back for at least four weeks until Monday, July 19. Civil enforcement in North East Lincolnshire is managed by the council’s regeneration partner, Engie.