Hospital parking firms ‘using patients as cash cows’ as profits DOUBLE by up to £13.59million per year
PRIVATE parking companies have been accused of treating motorists as "cash cows" as their soaring profits have been revealed.
The firms, which have faced criticism for overzealous practises, run thousands of car parks across the country, with many at hospitals and train stations.
Pre-tax profits at Parking Eye more than doubled in two years, from £6.58 million in 2016 to £13.59 million last year.
The parking company's 3,500 sites include more than ten major hospitals and numerous other NHS premises.
This comes as it was revealed that some councils rake in £200,000 an hour in fines.
But while at some car parks there are agreements where the NHS trust keep the revenue from parking charges, it makes money from "enforcement" – which means keeping all the cash from fines it issues.
This has led to accusations it has aggressively pursued motorists over minor offences.
'MORALLY WRONG'
Several parking companies across the UK have been criticised for unfair treatment of motorists, all while displaying their soaring profit margins.
Britannia Parking Group, who boast about paying "meticulous attention" to detail in their car parks, saw its pre-tax profits more than triple, from £196,000 in 2016 to £714,000 in 2018.
Another parking firm Euro Car Parks, who operate over 1,000 car parks across the country, revealed its 70 per cent profit increase, from £2.5 million in 2017 to £4.2 million last year.
APCOA, the UK's largest private parking firm, made £822,000 profit last year after two years of losses.
The rising profits were detailed in annual reports published this month by Companies House.
They come after increased fury over hospital parking charges, which many Brits see as a rip off.
£320 PARKING FINE AT A CARE HOME
Nigel Bush was slapped with a £320 parking fine for dropping his Alzheimer's-suffering wife off at a care home.
He was left horrified after being sent his first penalty notice shortly after his wife Anne's stay.
Although Nigel aims he didn't see the notices warning about where to park, he says that the staff did not directly inform him either.
The private parking company ArdPark Ltd sent Nigel a penalty notice for £100, which went up to £160 for non-payment.
Nigel believes he's likely to get fined another £120 for not paying for his third visit, bringing the total to at least £320.
He said: "You don't go to a care home thinking I better be careful of where I park.
"This is a very stressful situation. Anne can't say much but she can sense when I'm upset and stressed.
"I've got enough to do looking after Anne, it's something I never expected to happen and I don't know how to deal with it."
53 of 124 NHS trusts increased their parking rates in December, with some jumping from £3.50 for five hours to £8.
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, told : "The huge profitability does raise questions over whether enough of this revenue is going to hospitals.
"Charges for car parking at hospitals are a charge on people who are unwell."
Sara Gorton, of trade union Unison, said: 'Too many private firms view hospital parking as a cash cow and it's morally wrong."
Motorists were hit with nearly 6.8million parking fines last year, causing criticisms for how easy parking firms can issue fines for minor offences.
Parking Eye has been known for unjustly charging people, and even failing to cancel a ticket which meant a couple couldn't get a mortgage on their dream house.
PARKING FIRMS PROFITS LAST YEAR
Euro Car Parks had profits of £4.2 million last year.
Britannia Parking Group had a turnover of £14.8 million.
Parking Eye had pre-tax profits of £13.59 million last year.
APCOA made £822,000 profit in 2018.
The same company were slammed for fining a nurse £80 while her car was parked at a hospital during her 12-hour shift.
Parking Eye told the Daily Mail that its profits had grown because "its client base has grown considerably over the last three years", and stressed that it follows the British Parking Association's strict code of conduct.
Euro Car Parks is said to have fined a disabled couple for parking in a parent and child space because the disabled bays were full.
They also came under scrutiny for fining a diabetic woman, who was advised by doctors to not drive for 45 minutes after a medical attack, for overstaying the car park limit of two hours.
The private parking company ArdPark Ltd fined a man up to £320 for parking in a care home to visit his wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's.
Nigel Bush said that no one in the care home told him directly that he couldn't park where he did, and even after getting his first fine cancelled, he was slapped with another.
The RAC's Nicholas Lyes said: 'It will come as little surprise that private parking operators are making soaring profits.
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"Reports of overzealous enforcement and aggressive behaviour of debt collection mean trust is woefully low.'
The British Parking Association, representing private firms, said hospital car parks need to be managed because the demand for spaces outstrips supply – and charges are necessary to cover the cost of management and maintenance.
The Sun Online has contacted the parking firms for comment.
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