Don’t bleed us dry, plead blood donors

Fury over car park fees

FURIOUS blood donors have accused the council of bleeding them dry by making them pay to park at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The National Blood Service regularly runs sessions at the town centre venue — now some donors are asking why council chiefs can’t waive the fee for blood donors who are there to potentially save lives.

One regular donor said: “If you come in without an appointment you can be in for a long wait. You don’t want to have to rush out to put more money on your car because you can lose your place in the queue.

“I know it’s not a lot of money but it’s a big irritation.

“People will more than likely pay for more hours than they need because you can’t predict how long you’ll be there, so you don’t want to risk it.

“Those machines don’t give change either, so all in all, it’s a nice little earner for the council.

“I had to go out and put more money on my car at the last session.

“I would have been really angry if I’d come out to a £25 fine.

“It’s like paying to do a public service.”

One of the donor carers added that the council could police it by asking drivers to take their appointment letters into the reception area.

Donor Susan Widdall (59), from Greenfield, said: “I would have made a point of going somewhere else where you can park for free.

“This is the only session I can get to for the next few months, so I’ve had to make an exception.

“But it will certainly put off more casual donors.

“I’m sure some come in out of curiosity when they see a blood van — they probably won’t bother if they have to pay, especially since people don’t always have change at the ready.

“The council really should be doing everything it can to work with the National Blood Service to encourage more members of the public to give blood.”

Blood donors parking for up to an hour at the civic centre car park fork out £1.30, while those who need to park for two hours are charged £1.80 — and as with most parking meters, no change is given.

Anyone who overstays their welcome will be slapped with a £25 fine, which will rise to £50 if it is not paid within two weeks.

One of the donor carers said: “It’s not fair on the donors having to pay to give blood.

“It’s a real thorn in the side for our donors, who are doing something important to help other people and possibly save their lives. It’s like they are being penalised for doing a great public service.”

Councillor John McCann is Oldham Council’s Cabinet member for community services and housing.

He said: “The time limits and prices at the civic centre and Queen Elizabeth Hall car parks are clearly signed.

“All motorists using them have a responsibility to ensure that they pay for the correct amount of time.”