Issues of patients ‘wrongfully’ receiving car parking fines whilst visiting Saundersfoot surgery have been flagged-up, with one local disgruntled resident left feeling ‘shocked’ after being caught out by the new system.

A new parking system was installed after the summer at Saundersfoot Medical Centre, to combat inconsiderate parking which had escalated at the facility in recent months.

Patients and visitors to the surgery will be able to park for up to an hour with no charge at the facility’s car park, and do not have to register your car or display a ticket.

However, if anyone’s attendance at the surgery goes beyond this time frame, they will need to speak to reception to ensure they do not receive a fine.

Outside of surgery hours there is a ‘pay and display’ mobile app in order to pay for parking, which is £3 an evening on a weekday and £5 a day at weekends.

County councillor for the seaside village’s south ward Cllr Chris Williams has said though, that he has received numerous emails and calls from concerned patients who have seemingly received a fine from the firm running the car park.

“Thankfully I was able to speak with the practice manager and those fines will be rescinded,” explained Cllr Williams.

“I must stress that over the years the car park has been abused and the reasoning behind the enforcement procedures is to protect the patients that need to visit the surgery and park without fear.

“The manager has informed me that the surgery doesn’t open until 8 am for the nurses and the doctors at 8.30 am and patients had been coming in long before that.

“It would appear that the patients don’t need to park up before 7.50 am, the surgery feel this is ample time to park up before the doors open at 8 am.

“All patients must register their car details if they are concerned that their time will exceed whilst in the surgery,” he added.

One local resident Simon Batty has written to the company in control of the parking system as well as Saundersfoot Medical Centre itself, voicing concerns, as follows:

‘I visited the surgery this morning (December 18) at approximately 0740 to take my unwell daughter to make an appointment for the same day.

‘On entering the car park in the rain and dark we read a sign at the entrance which clearly states that Charges Apply Evenings and Weekends or for people using the surgery for more than one hour (photo attached).

‘As your camera will probably show, my daughter even got out of the car to read the sign in the dark and rain before I entered.

‘As we were using the surgery, it was a weekday morning and we intended to leave within an hour there was absolutely no reason to read any other signage (to see how much we would have to pay, for example) as we were fully compliant with the requirements stipulated on entry.

‘My daughter joined the surgery queue and I left to make sure other users could use the car park.

‘I was shocked later to be told by a member of the community that we would be 'fined' as other people had already been. Especially as we were there for less than five minutes - I actually dropped my daughter off and didn't park and leave the vehicle, but that is besides the point.

‘I posted a question on our local community Facebook page to be met stories from people who had been fined for parking for a few minutes in the morning to make an appointment. To be clear: weekday mornings, using the surgery, less than one hour. Fully compliant with the requirements of the sign at the entrance.

‘I write for four reasons:

1. You need to correct the obvious (hopefully not deliberate) error on your entrance sign to say ‘No free parking for any user before 0800, even if you are sick, inform, visiting the surgery or in medical distress’, for example. I'd hate to think you were deliberately misleading people into thinking they were complaint in order to generate money from genuine users of the surgery, as by definition they will be unwell, probably stressed and focused on their health, not your profits. I'm sure it's just a simple and honest mistake.

2. I notified the surgery staff of my registration number on return to our later appointment at about 0845, informed her of the problem and she offered to take my registration to ensure I wouldn't receive a charge. This is not her job and undermines the valuable role she has as a member of the medical team supporting our community. I expect to receive no charge notice or ticket, fine or otherwise cost as she has dealt with the matter. The surgery has my registration, so I do not include it here.

3. I have been made aware that you have already charged people for using the surgery for arriving before 0800 in the morning; say, 0730 etc. People arrive before 0800 to join the often very lengthy queue or they won't get an appointment that day. As Smart Parking Ltd relies and profits upon literal and meticulous attention to detail and the law I am sure that you will refund anyone who was inadvertently tricked into paying charges or fines for attending the surgery in the morning and for less than one hour. Payment was not required. As clearly outlined on your main entrance sign.

4. To the medical centre staff; I feel for you - you don't need to be resolving parking enquiries (There were two this morning in less than five minutes and completely independently) while also trying to do a very challenging and stressful job; managing a profit-making relationship between your employers and a private company undermines and does not value the important work you do for our community. Thank you for your patience.

‘In the interest of absolute clarity:

Your main entrance sign specifically states that for EVENINGS and WEEKENDS parking should be purchased via Ringo. There is therefore no obligation explicitly stated or implied that a user of the car park visiting the surgery on a WEEKDAY MORNING would have to pay any charge as long as they left within an hour. Seeing empty marked spaces and occupying one of those, they have no reason whatsoever to read any other charge notices unless they intend to perhaps park outside of a designated space. Ironically had they tried to read any other signs in the dark hours at 0740 this morning in the rain they would struggle as the signs appear not to be lit - which is why my daughter had top get out of the car at the entrance to read the detail on that one.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.’