Anger as Tettenhall car park shut off by NHS

People in Lower Street, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, have been using the surgery car park after hours for years with the surgery's permission.

But the NHS body that handles its property has installed gates which it intends to lock at night, saying there have been problems with 'antisocial behaviour' dating back to 2010.

Now a row of cottages opposite the Lower Green Health Centre and worshippers at St Michael and All Angels Church fear being left with nowhere to park.

Barrister and mother of one Kate Thomas, who has lived opposite for 12 years, said: "There has even been someone coming around taking photographs of our cars in the mornings.

"We are doing nothing wrong. The surgery has never had a problem with us parking there outside of surgery hours. It means there are people using the car park and keeping an eye on it.

"Now, when these gates close, the car park will just become a skate park for youths."

The site fell under the responsibility of the newly former NHS Property Services in 2013. The organisation put the gates up in March and has now warned them it intends to start locking them at night soon.

"This is a complete waste of public money," Miss Thomas said. "No-one has ever complained to us about cars parking there.

"Some of my neighbours have been using that car park for 40 years."

Paul Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton South West, added: "A common sense approach needs to be taken. The residents had always used this car park without any problems before. If it isn't broken, why fix it?"

Lisa Wright, spokesman for NHS Property Services, said: "The former Primary Care Trust identified in 2010 that measures needed to be taken at the NHS Lower Green Health Centre main car park to resolve ongoing issues with crime and antisocial behaviour within the car park outside of normal opening hours. In addition their review identified issues with unauthorised car parking which reduces capacity for staff and patients visiting the health centre.

"NHS Property Services inherited the site from the PCT in 2013 and took forward the scheme to install perimeter fencing around the NHS Lower Green Health Centre main car park.

"We have been in discussion with the council, concerning the local residents who have been using the main visitor car park informally both during and out of normal opening hours. NHS Property Services hopes to agree an arrangement that is acceptable to all parties, whilst ensuring the main visitor car park is safe and secure and can be fully used by visitors to the healthcare services."