HOSPITAL chiefs summoned to Runcorn Town Hall after 4,229 parking penalties were issued to patients and visitors in just three months were bombarded with complaints last night.

Mel Pickup, chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chairman Steve McGuirk were grilled by disgruntled councillors at a special meeting of Halton Council’s health and policy performance board last night.

Members called for parking penalties to be refunded to drivers and the contract with Highview Parking to be scrapped.

Hospital bosses declined their requests saying they were waiting for the results of a British Parking Association investigation.

They said they could not reimburse motorists because it was public money.

The DVLA has suspended Highview Parking from collecting data from drivers at Halton Hospital after a Runcorn woman who had not even parked at the hospital received a penalty notice.

Halton Cllr Dave Thompson branded the charges a ‘sick tax’ levied on the ‘most vulnerable, frail, elderly and ill patients’.

He showed photographs at the meeting revealing that 60 per cent of Halton Hospital does not have parking signs, meaning there is no contract, invalidating any charges.

Halton Council planning and highways officers reported that the hospital does not have planning permission for car park signs or cameras.

Cllr Thompson said: “Our highways and planning chiefs told them they are filming on our highways.

“They have no planning permission for cameras and no consent for signs.

“The hospital has been let down by a contractor who does not comply to national standards.

“They are repeatedly going against rules.”

He said he was appalled when trust chairman Steve McGuirk claimed that the 25 per cent success rate for appeals was good.

Cllr Thompson added: “To get 25% of errors is appallingly high.

“Patients who are disabled, elderly and frail and have done nothing wrong can take months to clear their name.

“The hospital must take steps to resolve this and repay innocent people.”

Hospital governor Peter Lloyd Jones from Runcorn said he was also alarmed by the high rate of successful appeals.

He said: “The chairman said this shows the system works but I believe every complaint is a failure.

“What bothers me is that this problem is getting more toxic for them.”

He said he had raised his concerns at board meetings but hospital chiefs had failed to listen to him.

Mr Lloyd Jones added: “They need to identify the entire problem and all its causes. At the moment they are approaching it piecemeal.

“One of the biggest problems not yet addressed is the operator.”

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said that the meeting with councillors was helpful and had gone some way towards helping the trust better understand concerns.

The trust was unable to answer some questions related to complex, technical points but pledged to respond in writing.

In a statement issued on August 5, a trust spokesman said: “We explained that we are committed to improving signage and exploring how parking ticket machines can be improved.

“We confirmed that our sites have been surveyed by the relevant trade bodies and we are compliant with their code.

“We were also clear that in every instance there must be proper appeal and consideration of any matters raised on either of the two grounds of error or compassion.

“If during an appeal it is evident that parking notices have been issued erroneously, we will ensure those are also cancelled and people are refunded.”

The trust has agreed to review the penalty charge after councillors described them as ‘excessive’.

The trust will meet councillors in November to review any action required and discuss any further concerns.