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The dramatic situation has been unfolding on Alderton Road in Nottingham, with fuming locals making a desperate attempt to protect what they deem to be their patch. The side-street is a 10-minute walk from the main entrance of Nottingham City Hospital, whose NHS workers frequently park there during shifts to avoid a £7 charge at work. Drivers have been squeezing onto the busy road, which is also a bus route, filling large spaces on the kerbs, driveways and sometimes the small stretch of double-yellow lines at one end.
But locals have lost patience with strangers blocking their pavements and driveways with their cars, and have began a wheelie bin protest.
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They have started putting their green and brown wheelie bins to block off their on-street parking spaces, meaning hospital workers now have to find somewhere else to park.
Sharon Saunders said she has often been blocked in by cars parking “bumper to bumper” outside her driveway, and has been forced to put her wheelie bin on the road to secure parking for herself or guarantee access to her own drive.
The mum-of-four, who is a call handler for a private ambulance service on behalf of the NHS, said: “I’ve put my bin out to stop drivers parking bang outside my house.
“I have no choice because if I’m blocked in and can’t get my car out I can’t work. I’m part of the bin brigade, I’m not ashamed, and it’s working!”
However, the residents are not pinning the blame on the NHS workers but have accused hospital bosses of “trying to rip staff off with ludicrous parking charges,” according to one.
She added: “It’s a nightmare for residents and for the hospital staff. I have sympathy for them being charged silly amounts to park do a day’s work.
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“That’s why a lot of them park in our street and walk up the hill to work. You can’t blame them really as it’s free but their vehicles are left parked up all day and sometimes night.”
Rachel Townsend, who lives on the road on the Edwards Lane council estate, said: “People are parking here who work at the hospital but I feel sorry for the staff. It’s a no win situation for residents and workers. Everyone is losing out.
“The hospital should make it free for their staff to park, like other companies, or lower the rate. My neighbour’s disabled and needs regular access to taxis which sometimes can’t stop outside her house and she finds that quite challenging.”
Robert and Jane Gisby have a double drive with two cars and often find themselves blocked in, with retired NHS housekeeper Mrs Gisby commenting: “Charging staff to work at the hospital should not be happening.”
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Mr Gisby added: “During the pandemic, hospital staff had free parking but now they charge again and it’s £7 a day. Maybe residents’ permits wound help ease the problem. Some of our neighbours are putting their bins and no wonder but I don’t think it is legal and we’re not doing it.”
On Monday, NHS worker Jennifer Ogarro parked at one end of Alderton Road before starting her shift at the hospital.
She told The Sun Online: “It’s totally wrong for staff to have to pay for parking. The money comes from my salary.
“Parking is £7 a day and I can’t afford it so I park up in the street and walk to walk. It is unfair to us and it is unfair to the neighbours.”
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