LETTER: Council needs to stop hiding over parking issue

"IT'S disappointing to see the Lismore Council pursue the path of punitive measures regarding the parking fiasco around Lismore Base Hospital."

The new parking restrictions around the Lismore Base Hospital have not been popular. Hunter Street. Picture: Cathy Adams

IT'S disappointing to see the Lismore Council pursue the path of punitive measures regarding the parking fiasco around Lismore Base Hospital.

They must be quite upset the health care worker force weren't the compliant cattle they were expecting and wouldn't be herded into overpriced parking spaces.

They cite safety concerns for the reason to fine cleaners and midwives up to $180 who aren't park in their $1000 a year car spaces, will they pursue the same measures for the car boot market or around sporting fields on Saturday morning to ensure public safety?

Or is it just the health work force that is to receive such special treatment?

By the way for a $1000 a year and you get to park, if you're lucky a block away and you can't even see your place of employment.

The council can easily fix this situation now today, reduce the price to an acceptable level, $2 per day which is consistent with the only other paid parking zones in the town, and not $5 per day they expect health care workers to endure.

It's worse for the visitors to hospital that's $3 per hour in the 2 hours parks, so on what could be the worst day of your life someone expects you to feed a parking meter.

The council need to stop hiding behind a ridiculous bylaw that won't let them change a very bad decision for three months.

They need to stop trying to shift the blame to the Local Health District, they made us do it style.

There is a world of difference between undercover security parking across the road and parking in back streets of Lismore a block away, it's like saying we have French Champagne and Passion pop but we going to charge you the highest price for both when in reality the only similarity is you'll get a hangover if you drink too much of either.

*Gil Wilson is the Lismore Base Hospital Branch Secretary NSWNMA