Crusader action saves NHS patient enduring parking penalty pressure | The Crusader | Finance

When a machine in a NHS hospital car park showed “No Charge”, the car driver, who had a lot of health things on his mind, did not question it and that was the start of hassle that hasn’t helped his recovery.

“I took what the machine showed at face value, it was an anxious time for me,” patient Nicolas Anderson told Crusader after receiving a penalty charge notice (PCN) followed by having his appeal turned down flat.

++ If you’ve been affected by this issue or feel you’ve been a victim of injustice, please contact consumer champion Maisha Frost on maisha.frost@express.co.uk ++;

It wasn’t as if parking on that spot was new for Nicholas who has visited the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital several times already to receive orthopaedic treatment. By then familiar with the parking system, he had never had any trouble.

In his most recent encounter he left the orthopaedic centre “with my credit card in my hand as usual all ready to pay. I would never seek to evade a charge,” he explained. “I had no idea why the machine readout was saying no payment, if that was right or wrong, and I was just keen to get home so I left it.”

But as so many know when it comes to private car parking issues they can rise again like zombies and any challenge can be a gruelling, time-consuming haul. 

While everyone accepts parking must be controlled, it must be done fairly and the system can be less than perfect. Many who share their views with Crusader feel that especially matters where hospital and medical centre parking is concerned and the pressures many of the visitors are under.  

The parking operator rejecting Nicolas’s explanation was Apoca who told him “cashless payments were available at this site such as a phone line, website and Connect app”.

The next course of action open to him was to appeal further to independent adjudicator Popla. Angry that his honest explanation had been turned down and charges were mounting, Nicolas let rip to Crusader. Aware of the time he was having to spend and the anxiety that was causing, we also took up the matter with the hospital as the one ultimately in charge.

Nicolas has now heard the PCN has been cancelled. “I’ve nothing but praise for the faultless medical care I’ve received,” he responded. “But I’m also so grateful for Crusader taking this up.” [name has been changed]

• [bullet point advice]Ill health understandably meant Nicolas wasn’t on top of his game when paying for his parking and more understanding and kindness shown earlier to him would have been far better. But he has also learned an important lesson. “I should’ve taken a photo of the No Charge notice,” he reflects. “That would have been extra evidence and saved me from being tied up in knots.”