Time is running out to stop blue badge holders from being charged to park at St Peter’s hospital, charges are due to be applied 1st May 2017.
We are aware that the Trust needs to recoup money that may have been cut from the government or wasted on aborted mergers with other hospitals.

The other three hospital Trusts in this part of Surrey do not charge blue badge holders for parking. The Trust has said that some blue badge holders may be able to claim back the charge if they are on the right type of benefits, but this will mean either going to the 3rd floor of St Peter's Hospital to the Cashiers Office or to make the claim by post.

Morally, nobody should have to pay to attend hospital appointments or visit sick loved ones. It is even more wrong for blue badge holders who are already having to justify their eligibility for free parking?

At present our petition on Change.org (see link below) has 538 signatures. 
We have written to all MPs who have constituencies in the area, all councils and all Surrey County Councillors within the Ashford & St Peters Trust catchment and we have a number of positive replies and support.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, and Dominic Raab, the MP for Esher and Walton, have both written to Suzanne Rankin, the Trust CEO, on our behalf.
Spelthorne councillor Robin Sider is tabling a motion at the next full council meeting on the April 24 in support of our campaign.
We have had support from other councillors in Spelthorne as well as in Runnymede, Elmbridge and Surrey County Council.

The issue is that the trust's board will not respond other than the same press release that they keep issuing, there has been no offer of a public meeting unlike in 2014.
The petition details can be found on: https://www.change.org/p/aileen-mcleish-stop-ashford-st-peter-s-trust-from-over-turning-decision-to-car-disabled-parking?

Article supplied by Caroline Williams