Burnley Council defends decision to charge patients for parking at Covid-19 vaccination centre

The £2 charge is applicable to anyone who parks at the centre car park while receiving their jab. NHS staff administering the jabs and volunteers helping with the programme are exempt from the charge.

Burnley resident Stephanie Hawke said her parents, who both received their jabs at the centre recently, were thrown when told they would have to pay the £2 parking fee.

Stephanie, who is a fund raiser for an arts charity, said: "While I don't agree with imposing a charge on these people who are the most vulnerable in our community, it needs to be made clear to anyone attending for a vaccination that they will be expected to pay £2 so they have the right money ready.

"The whole process is daunting for these elderly people, many of whom have not been out of the house for months, so to spring this on them adds another layer of anxiety and a further obstacle to what is already a very daunting process for so many people."

Stephanie said she felt that months of shielding by so many people could be wasted if people attending St Peter's ended up wandering into shops in town in search of change for the parking fee. She also believes the charge may even put people off attending for the jab.

She added: "The whole idea of the programme is for it to be quick, efficient and safe so anyone attending needs to be made aware of exactly what they need to bring because of many of them will not have change or any money on them at all.

"My parents have hardly left their home since the start of the pandemic and we, as a family, have worked hard to keep them safe and make sure they have everything they need.

"Yet all that work could be potentially undone and put them at risk.

" I do think the whole idea of charging these elderly people at a time like this needs to be reconsidered.

"Burnley Council has carried out some tremendous work in the community during the pandemic and I acknowledge that, but this could wipe it all out so quickly because it goes against everything the programme is about, and that is protecting the most vulnerable and elderly in our community."

A spokesman for Burnley Council said the car park was not council operated and it did not fix the parking charges but an agreement had been made with the operator to cover the cost of parking for NHS staff and volunteers helping with the programme.

The spokesman said: "Past experience suggests that the car park gets filled up if it is made free for everyone- we understand that this happened during the March lockdown, meaning there wasn't space for patients at times.

"Residents that are arriving by car to be vaccinated, but who are really struggling financially with this parking charge, should contact Burnley Together to see what support is available."

In Bath a petition launched by a GP calling for Bath and North East Somerset Council to waive parking charges for covid jab patients at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre has been signed by hundreds of people.

Dr Sharon Gillings has warned that any supposed barrier could put off vulnerable residents from attending for the lifesaving vaccination.