Nurses are set to be allowed to park for free after Sutton Council bowed to pressure.

At tonight's Environment and Neighbourhood's Committee meeting, councillors look set to approve a six month trial to a scheme which will allow all health and social care staff to carry a free permit to park within Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ).

As it stands, nurses who visit patients living within the CPZ have to use pay and display machines just like everyone else, but then claim the money back.

But after residents complained they were having to buy extra visitor books to allow nurses to visit and to avoid them getting a parking ticket, the council is now looking to give a new system a trial. Tonight's meeting will also look at providing free permits to childminders within the CPZ's.

Charlie Cornwell, who had shelled out over £100 on extra visitor permits for nurses to come and treat his ill wife, said it was good news.

He said: "I'm glad the council are looking at this, it's about time. Nurses have enough to worry about without dealing with parking tickets and keeping pay and display receipts. This is the least they deserve."

Conservative Councillor Tony Shields, who had campaigned for free permits for nurses, said it was "a victory for common sense."

A council spokesperson said: "Currently care provider and individual provider permits are available to all approved health and social care staff - and have been since 2006 in the Sutton and Belmont Controlled Parking Zone.

"Thursday’s (October 3) Environment and Neighbourhood Committee will discuss proposals to consider individual cases on their merits, where there are particular circumstances where carers do not fall into these two categories."

 

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