We take Scrap the Fees campaign to Parliament (From Northwich Guardian)

MP Mike Hall presents Scrap the Fees campaign to Parliament

10:40am Wednesday 8th July 2009 in News By Gina Bebbington

OUR protest about unfair parking charges at Northwich’s much-loved and well-used infirmary has been taken to the highest power in the land.

A petition of more than 7,000 signatures has been presented at Parliament as part of the Guardian’s on-going Scrap the Fees campaign.

This campaign has seen residents, businesses, three MPs, Northwich Town Council, Northwich and District Vale Royal Pensioners, the Chester group of the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance and even radio presenter Mark Radcliffe rally together in a bid to get the parking charges abolished.

Weaver Vale MP Mike Hall presented the weighty box of petition forms in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

He said: “What we’ve got now is another means of highlighting the issue about the unfairness of parking at the Victoria Infirmary Northwich (VIN) and the people that signed the petition know it has been highlighted in the highest authority in the land.

“People have had their say.

“What we want now is for Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to respond appropriately by giving serious consideration to withdrawing the car parking charges at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust introduced the charges, which see patients paying £3 to park for more than 20 minutes, in April last year.

The Guardian launched its Scrap the Fees campaign on February 25 in response to outrage and anger about the charges from our readers.

Even Westminster security guards were surprised at the campaign’s response when chief reporter Gina Bebbington went to London with the mass of completed petition forms.

Mr Hall said: “I’ve been involved with a lot of campaigns but what’s been good about this one is that it’s been an ongoing campaign and has always had momentum and kept going – each time we’ve thought about closing the petition it’s got more and more interest.

“It really has raised awareness of the issue because of what’s been in the paper.

“The issue is a serious one because it’s the only place in Northwich where there are parking charges, and this is a charge on ability to access the NHS.

“What we particularly don’t like is that it’s very expensive and constituents are not convinced by the arguments that this is to improve security – I’m not at all convinced.

“I understand the hospital wants to maximise its revenue but in this case it’s gone too far.”