Vigilantes driven to pour acid on medics' cars in parking row

Published on Wednesday 7 October 2009 10:11

VIGILANTES are being blamed for a cancer doctor's car being vandalised twice on a street near the Western General Hospital.

Acid has been poured over the bonnet and a tyre let down while the doctor works 24-hour shifts.

The vandalism is thought to be an angry resident's response to increased congestion in neighbouring streets since parking charges were scrapped at the hospital. Staff say they are being forced into parking on surrounding streets because there are not enough spaces left for them.

The doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, said parking had become extremely difficult for shift workers since on-site charges were scrapped. Both incidents took place on North Werber Park, on the way into Fettes Village.

"Even for middle-grade doctors doing 24-hour shifts, where you may have to leave the hospital at any hour of the night, minimal to no provision is given for car parking," she said. "While I appreciate that (staff parking] is not ideal for those living there, there are nine spaces not remotely allocated to any part of the estate.

"A few months ago vigilantes poured some form of corrosive on the bonnets of the cars parked there, in a distinctive pattern.

"More recently, after a shift I noticed that the first car in the stretch of spaces had a flat left front tyre. When I drove my car it was obvious that my car tyre had also been let down and the screw was undone.

"I find the whole thing extraordinarily petty, especially when it happens after a shift when I have been trying to help people dying of cancer. It just seems so pointless and unimportant."

Charges were lifted at the Western by the Scottish Government in January, even though NHS Lothian bosses were against the plan. They said it would cause congestion, and since then complaints over parking there from patients have rocketed.

With most of the surrounding area covered by yellow lines, it leaves only certain public spots where people can leave their cars nearby.

Inverleith councillor Lesley Hinds, who is also Labour's city health spokeswoman, said: "Certainly no-one from the estate has come to me with complaints about parking.

"If this is happening it is unacceptable to target vehicles parked in a public space.

"It also shows the weakness of a Scottish Government decision that was taken with a populist aim but clearly not well enough thought through."

George Curley, associate director of facilities at NHS Lothian, said: "NHS Lothian has a green transport policy where we encourage members of staff to use greener methods of travel where possible.

"Where staff do need to drive to work, we have a prioritisation system in place for the allocation of staff parking permits, to ensure that essential car users are able to park on site.

"We have also created an additional 55 parking spaces for staff on the Western General Hospital site to help ease congestion in the surrounding streets."