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Doctors and nurses working at Wales’ largest hospital say they feel “deflated” and “sick” after a losing a court battle over unpaid parking tickets.

One NHS staff member even said they may have to sell their family home to pay the hefty bill to private parking firm Indigo, it is claimed.

Nearly 80 members of staff at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW ) in Cardiff lost a court ruling at the Cardiff Civil Justice Centre on Friday which means they will be forced to fork out £128 per outstanding ticket.

While many of the NHS staff admit to being in the wrong, many doctors and nurses have criticised the parking “chaos” at the site and the lack of spaces.

Following the verdict, employees vented their frustration and anger in a private Facebook group set up to support their legal plight.

One NHS staff member said: “We are probably going to have to sell our family home. I have decided to leave the NHS.

“I cannot continue working for someone who doesn’t support their employees.

“What a horrible and dark world we live in.”

Another added: “I’m absolutely devastated by this action.

“The stress this has caused to my husband and I – and the impact it will now have on the next few years for my young family while we struggle to pay off these ludicrously high fines – has no end.

“This unfair action against a huge amount of staff has caused me to call into question why I even became a nurse, as the people who employ me have clearly walked away and don’t care.

“No wonder there is a retention crisis.”

Another said: “I find that I resent the health board I work for and that is very sad.

“They need every employee to give everything we have to our jobs and we do.

“The pity is that they don’t care enough to protect us from over-zealous ticketing or even prevent us being unfairly ticketed in the first place.

And a final NHS staff member said: “I have woken up feeling sick, deflated, totally c**p and worried to death about how I’m going to pay these guys.”

The UHW has a contract with private firm Indigo which is responsible for all car parking at the site until 2018.

Previously, any staff member, visitor or patient who was given a parking fine, also known as a parking charge notice (PCN), would not have to pay it as it was not legally enforceable.

But that all changed on April 1, 2016, when new arrangements were made between Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Indigo.

(Image: UGC)

Now anyone who has not paid their PCNs will go through the legal process and could face fines and a possible court appearance.

But NHS employees who work at the Heath site say they often have no choice but to park illegally because otherwise they’d be late for work.

Derek Donovan, who has campaigned on behalf of the NHS staff members affected, was in court for the ruling and said: “One of the nurses in court broke down and another was crying.

“The pressures these dedicated nurses have been under is disgusting. We could have virtually shut departments at the hospital if we’d asked all the nurses to attend.”

The doctors and nurses affected have reportedly been landed with fines of £39,000 and court costs of £29,000.

Tin Donnelly, director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales, said a solution needed to found.

She said: "The crux of the issue here is that the University Hospital of Wales does not have enough spaces to fulfil the need of approximately 6,500 staff that are estimated to require a car parking space at some point in the day.

"We know that people are having to park a long way off site or walk to work and have to return to their cars or walk home after a twilight shift in the dark.

"More car parking spaces are needed close to the hospital where staff who start and finish work in the dark can feel safe when returning to their vehicle.

"Due to the current cap on pay, nurses are contacting us with hardship issues and car parking charges only add to their financial problems. A solution to this issue needs to be found."

We test out the UHW park and ride - is it a realistic option for visitors?

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In response, a spokeswoman from Indigo said: “In April last year, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Indigo agreed a new set of measures to improve car parking on the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) site.

“As a gesture of goodwill towards car park users, parking charge notices (PCN) issued up to the end of March 2016 were cancelled. In addition, the cost of a PCN was reduced to £10, if paid within 14 days.

“Despite this, a number of people refused to pay for parking at the site. They also ignored the resulting PCNs and declined to use the formal appeals process.

“The recent court hearing related to three persistent offenders who have accumulated in excess of 100 PCNs between them since April 2016.

“As the company responsible for managing parking and ensuring the free flow of traffic at Cardiff UHW, we have an obligation to ensure enforcement of parking restrictions.

“For this reason, and with the full support of the health board, we took action against this small group of persistent offenders. The court’s ruling has justified our decision to take this action.”

In June 2018, when the contract with Indigo runs out, parking at UHW will be free or charge.

A spokeswoman for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have been following the court case with interest.

“The vast majority (98%) of staff comply with the parking regulations.

“It is disappointing that a few people have chosen to refuse to cooperate with the contractors Indigo Parking Services UK and have chosen to pursue this through the courts.

“All staff and others visiting University Hospital Wales (UHW) are encouraged to comply with the parking regulations in order for us to keep the site, safe, free- flowing and allow access to emergency vehicles and vital health services.

“As a health board we have worked tirelessly on our sustainability plans and offering alternative modes of transport to the site, such as a park and ride scheme, already in operation and future redevelopment of a travel hub.

“We will continue to develop these options and encourage all staff, patients and visitors to use them.

“We are aware there are significant financial costs and the financial hardship the staff have placed themselves in.

“We encourage all staff to engage with Indigo Car Parking Service UK at the earliest opportunity to avoid mounting legal and court costs.

“A high proportion our staff are involved in frontline clinical duties.

“We have arrangements in place for vital services that require easy access quickly such as on call surgeons and midwives and those whose skills are required urgently for patient care.

“The vast majority of posts are covered by shift patterns and rotas that do not require the level of urgency claimed.”