Another West Middlesex Parking Horror

2.06.54pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th May 2009

Twickenham residents have long faced the ordeal of having cars towed away if they park on a single yellow line behind the Hospital. Some of the experiences of hospital patients and visitors were so extreme that Vincent Cable MP obtained a debate in Parliament on parking policy last year.

A few weeks ago, a 75 year old Twickenham man visiting a critically ill relative parked in Park Road, Isleworth because he had an arthritic back and was trying to minimise the walking distance to the hospital ward. His car was towed away to White City and when he eventually got there, with a full range of identity documentation, the woman in charge of the National Car Parks pound still refused to release it. It was only when she finished her shift that another member of staff agreed to release the car.

Vincent Cable said the behaviour of Hounslow Council was "cruel and disproportionate. In particular, it is unbelievable that they appear to regard the proof of identity acceptable to the Police as insufficient to release reclaimed vehicles. I know that all councils, including ours, have parking restrictions and sometimes wardens are excessively zealous. But Hounslow has a degree of zealotry way beyond the norm and seems to relish picking on elderly and sick people who park near the West Middlesex Hospital. Moreover, the behaviour of their agents, National Car Parks, is despicable on occasions like this."