STAFF at Glasgow Royal Infirmary are expected to back a campaign to prevent car parking charges from being reinstated in September.

Fees, which average at £100 a month, were dropped at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but NHS workers have raised concerns about proposals to bring them back.

Trade Union UNISON has been calling for employee parking charges to be dropped for several years.

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Now they plan to write a letter to Cabinet Secretary Jeane Freeman asking her to overrule the decision to re-establish them.

Cathy Miller, branch secretary of UNISON, said: “When coronavirus infected Scotland it was decided that parking at the Royal Infirmary would be free for staff.

“This was wonderful and a step in the right direction. However, this is to come to an end in September.

“We are the only hospital in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area which has to pay for parking which is because of a private finance initiative on the site.

“We are still dealing with Covid-19 which is not going away anytime soon so it seems Ludacris to me that they would reinstate these charges.

“It certainly doesn’t send a great message to staff. This affects all employees – not just nurses as we have all worked through the height of the pandemic which is still ongoing.

“We are hoping to write a letter to the cabinet secretary Jeane Freeman which will be signed by all the trade unions asking her to reverse the decision about parking charges at the hospital.

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“If they managed to survive without charging staff during lockdown why can’t they continue this. They need to give us a reason.

“It costs roughly £100 a month to park at the Royal Infirmary unless you have a permit but not everyone meets the criteria for one.

“This is not just about nurses it is about all NHS staff. We need to have a one-team approach.”

It is hoped that a letter will be sent to Ms Freeman next week.