Ninewells parking fees

Sir, – Recent correspondence on this subject seems to be polarised and often misses several points.

Firstly, Ninewells is increasingly the destination of choice, either through location or the gradual centralisation of services.

This means it serves a huge hinterland from Drumochter to Fife.

So while public transport may be an option for those who live in Dundee, it is not practical or even available for most people outside.

Increasing the number of services means that more and more staff are required to work there and then provision needs to be made for an increasing number of patients and, at times, their families.

The current parking provision is inadequate during most of the day, and at times all but impossible for those with a disabled badge.

The multi-storey park is full most of the time as well.

Parking charges serve to reduce the numbers of non-patients but add insult to the misery hospital patients are already suffering.

What would help more would be for the parking operators to be required to increase the number of parking spaces available for both staff and patients, and be more flexible about payments and the charges they levy.

A scheme similar to that at PRI may go some way to addressing this, where those with appointments are given a parking slip, which means that non-patients pay for use of the car park.

Nick Cole. Balmacron Farmhouse, Meigle.