Welsh Labour : For The Few Not The Many? Let's Talk About Hospital Car Parking Charges

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Welsh Labour have for many years been the party of the establishment in Wales. An elite that has damaged the people living here for decades. Sometimes though the mask slips and people discover that deep down they're as bad as the Conservatives. Even worse really considering they give out the illusion of caring.

Huw Thomas, Labour leader of Cardiff Council and Lee Waters, Labour Assembly Member have both stated on Twitter that the Welsh Labour government's policy of free car parking in hospitals is "flawed".

Now this is an interesting policy because it's one of the few Welsh government policies that can be called "socialist" in that it benefits everyone no matter who you are. And these gentlemen (the word is used advisedly) consider it flawed. prompted it appears by the fact that Mr Waters could not get a space at Cardiff Heath hospital (aka University Hospital for Wales). Do you know why you couldn't get a space Mr Waters? Because it's popular.

Fees for car parking in hospitals is (depending on the circumstances) a tax on grief, concern, friendship and emotions for loved ones in there. Essentially it's blackmail on your emotional state.

As long term readers to this blog will remember I spent the first few months of this year in Essex exile looking after my unwell mother. For around three weeks she was in hospital in Harlow and I spent roughly £8 a day being there constantly during visiting hours. Now I could have spent just £10 for a seven day pass. But my focus was on her and not the cost. Also at the time it was unclear whether she would pull through or needed to be transferred to a different hospital anyway. So you see you cannot be financially savvy when you're not clear what's going to happen and you cannot think straight. It comes back to what I've said earlier. A car parking charge is a tax on your emotions.

Mr Waters view is that the staff in the hospital should use "sustainable transport" and that they and the  public should use "turn up and go" bus services which Mr Thomas apparently agrees with. Also that there should be "intelligent charging" (that is I'm sure straight out of the marketing consultant's handbook). Now leaving aside the "let the plebs use public transport" tone of the remarks it actually displays a great deal of ignorance (to be parochial for a moment) about Heath hospital.

It's not a hospital in the centre of town oh no it's at the edge. The key thing here is that Heath hospital is part of the Cardiff and Vale health board. Which means if you live in for example Barry Town or Cowbridge  the journey (especially late at night) under public transport will not be a simple one assuming it's possible at all.

So Mr Thomas and Mr Waters should be Socialists and embrace a policy that supports everyone. Not just the few.

Until the next time.