Parking fines money better spent on NHS
RECENTLY I had an appointment at the dental clinic at the UHW in Cardiff.
I left home early and arrived at the hospital 25 minutes before my appointment time.
However, I spent 30 minutes looking for a parking space as close as possible to the clinic as I have chronic mobility issues. I eventually parked but unfortunately I arrived 10 minutes late.
I apologised to the receptionist who was quite sympathetic and she told me patients were very often late due to problematic parking.
One week later, I received a parking fine from Parking Eye for parking in a staff-only car park. A photograph showed I had, indeed, parked illegally.
After duly paying the fine on time I was horrified by headlines in the press highlighting the hundreds of millions of pounds that private parking companies are making from the fines they are collecting.
Might I suggest that the NHS or the Government take control of the hospital parking and reinvest the money obtained from parking fines back into the NHS, instead of lining the pockets of companies like Parking Eye.
Nick Taylor
Sully
Contradictory Conservatives
ALTHOUGH it is difficult to tie down any policies of Nigel Farage because of his blustering style of emotional speech, I think the Brexit Party policy is to oppose making any deal with the EU, and is in favour of “crashing out” quite regardless of any economic consequences.
I would be grateful for correction if I am wrong. It seems crazy but honest.
The Tory Party has two contradictory policies: number one, either to pretend to want a negotiated and responsible deal, in order then to reject that, and so be justified in “crashing out”, which had always been their true intention and strategy. Number two is genuinely to desire a proper deal, but be unable to find agreement, and so then accept the exact opposite of what they wanted, the “crash out” of a no deal.
CN Westerman
Brynna
Were you at the Cardiff Jam gigs?
IT is more than 40 years since The Jam, pictured, burst onto the British music scene.
I am a British music writer and I am compiling a “people’s history” of The Jam, telling their story in the words of fans who saw them live, and I’d love to hear from anyone who’d care to share their memories with me of their shows at the Top Rank, at Cardiff University and at Sophia Gardens between 1977 and 1980.
I can be reached at iwasatthat gig@gmail.com
Richard Houghton
Author of The Smiths – The Day I Was There Manchester
Chance to get rid of the self-servers
THE chaos we have seen in Westminster this week with politicians colluding with members of other parties to stop Brexit and push through agendas their constituents never voted for yet still referring to themselves in parliament as “honourable members’’ should make us question the merits of the person we voted into office to represent us.
The United Kingdom voted to leave the EU, with 52.5% of the people of Wales voting out, yet politicians such as Owen Smith and Adam Price are determined to go against the decision their constituents made to leave the EU and stop Brexit at all costs in order to hold another referendum.
This total disregard of the wishes of voters not only in Wales but throughout the UK should be remembered in a few weeks’ time at the next general election when voters can rid themselves of people serving only themselves.
A photograph showed I had, indeed, parked illegally
Nick Taylor Sully
Now I know how that old man felt
MANY years ago at the age of 16 I attended the Royal Infirmary to have my appendix removed.
During my stay at the hospital I remembered having a conversation with a very elderly gentleman. It didn’t last long as it became a little one-sided having to listen to him talk about all his previous operations – and now 70 years later it’s my turn to be the one who bores everyone with all my medical problems.
Jim Fisher Llanrumney, Cardiff
Honouring disabled entrepreneurs
IT has been 13 years since I set up the Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs with disability charity Leonard Cheshire, to celebrate and