Nurses ‘outraged’ after finding hospital parking fines

IT'S International Nurses Day, and for Lismore Base Hospital staff the last thing they'd expect was to find a parking ticket on their cars after their shift.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, Lismore City Council voted last month to introduce free parking around the Lismore Base Hospital Precinct.

The free parking is offered in the 10-hour zones on Hunter and Dalziel Sts for the next six months and parking restrictions have been wavered on Weaver St, Laurel Ave and McKenzie St to enable all-day parking for the same six month period.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association spokesman Shaen Springall said he'd received calls from several "outraged" nurses on Tuesday after they'd discovered they'd been given parking tickets on Hunter St, outside of Crawford House, on Tuesday.

"People are not sure where the free parking is," Mr Springall said.

"There's nothing to say it's free. If it's free, the sign should be blacked out.

"There was the understanding that it would all be free, but it's not signposted and it's confusing."

However, council's development and compliance manager Chris Watts said street signage around the hospital precinct had been amended to reflect the changes.

"Council staff have also been educating drivers about the changes to on-street parking around the hospital precinct over the last couple of weeks to ensure people are aware of the changes," he said, adding that parking patrols recommenced earlier this week.

But nurses have complained the signage was confusing and not clear as to where free parking is available.

But Mr Springall said at least 20 parking infringement notices at the value of $114 were issued on Hunter St and there wasn't any clear signage.

"Nurses were calling me up and saying they were so angry," he said.

"It's also International Nurses Day, so thank you Lismore City Council."

The parking map can be found on www.lismore.nsw.gov.au