CAMERAS which record car registration numbers at Halton Hospital car park have been switched off.

The DVLA has today confirmed that Highview Parking Limited, the company which operates the car park, has been temporarily suspended from collecting data on drivers.

It means the firm is currrently banned from applying for the names and addresses of registered vehicle keepers visiting Halton Hospital.

It follows a complaint by a Runcorn patient who received a parking penalty notice even though she hadn’t been to the hospital.

She drove past the perimeter road to visit her GP at the neighbouring Hallwood Health Centre and returned to collect a prescription.

She said: “At no point did I park within Halton Hospital grounds.

“If I visit the hospital, I always pay any parking charge applied.

“This has caused me undue stress and upset.”

The dramatic development comes after 4,229 parking penalty notice have been issued to patients and visitors since the new automatic number plate recognition system was installed.

The figures only relate to the first three months.

Halton Lea Cllr Dave Thompson, who took up the woman’s case, said: “The whole situation is a fiasco.

“It is appalling. The most vulnerable people in our community are getting penalty charges.

“The situation is causing anxiety and stress to patients.”

In a letter to Cllr Thompson, the DVLA stated: “Due to the serious nature of the complaint, enquiries made by Highview Parking Ltd have been temporarily suspended for all cases identified at Halton General Hospital until all of the points have been fully investigated and resolved.”

Almost 1,000 notices have been withdrawn following appeals.

A spokesman for Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Highview Parking has confirmed that they have received a DVLA request to temporarily hold any requests made for alleged parking infringements at Halton General.

“This is as a consequence of the issues raised with ourselves and the DVLA which we have been actively looking at and discussing with Halton Borough Council to resolve any concerns.

“We hope this will be concluded as soon as possible.

“It does not affect the Warrington Hospital site."