A PREGNANT woman who was facing almost £300 in fines for overstaying in the Barnet Hospital car park has called the system a “joke”.
According to the Enfield Independent’s story, Jodie Smith was ordered to pay £197 when her 16-week scan ran late in January and was hit with a second fine in March when she rushed to the maternity unit because she was bleeding.
The 22-year-old, who is 32 weeks pregnant, did not realise she had parked in a 20-minute zone and was horrified when she was slapped with a £100 fine.
But after the Times Series intervened, the hospital agreed to waive the fines.
When she was trying to fight the fines, Ms Smith, who has depression, said: “This is just making my depression worse, they are just trying to make money off me.
“You can’t help that there is a wait, it’s a hospital and not everything is on time. Plus, when you are bleeding, the parking signs aren’t something you look at.”
Ms Smith claims a court told her she would have to pay a £225 dispute claim fee.
Parking guru Derek Dishman criticised the current parking system used in hospitals, saying it was “taxing the sick”.
He said: “We should all park properly and we should all pay but if they used a barrier instead, everyone would.
“They have implemented a system that is designed to make the most money possible not the one designed to maximise compliance.”
He encouraged people to challenge their fines as soon as possible, estimating hundreds received fines for parking on private property every week.
He said: “It’s a very technical area and you do need to start educating yourself but it’s important.”
A Barnet Hospital spokesman, who was not named by the Trust, said: “Patients are reminded that if they are held up at a clinic appointment they can notify reception staff who will advise them how they can avoid accruing additional parking charges.
“For patients in an emergency there is also a free 20-minute drop-off zone immediately outside Barnet Hospital.”
