MP FOR Stroud Neil Carmichael has called for “ludicrous” parking fines issued at two GP clinics in Stroud to be scrapped.

Dozens of patients were left furious when they received penalties after visiting Beeches Green Health Centre.

More than 20 patients have contacted the SNJ to complain about the fines and to confirm that they will be appealing the tickets, which they see as “unfair” and “disproportionate” to the time they spent parked at the centre.

The £100 parking tickets must be paid within 28 days and are discounted to £60 if paid within two weeks of the date issued.

Landowner of the site NHS Property Services introduced new parking rules in April to tackle those misusing the car park.

However, the rules have caused chaos with motorists unsure which car park to leave their cars in and how to pay.

Patients of Beeches Green Surgery, Stroud Valleys Family Practice and the podiatry unit must use the patients and staff car park, entering their number plates into a touchscreen in reception when they arrive for an appointment.

Meanwhile patients for Redwood House Dental Clinic and the mobile breast screening unit must use a second car park, which is pay and display.

Many patients going to the dentist and breast screening unit have mistakenly parked in the staff and patients car park, deducing from the signs that they were classed as patients. They argue it was unclear that they had to park in the pay and display area.

Others, including people with dementia, disabilities and bad eyesight, have been entering their vehicle numbers incorrectly or forgetting to type them into the machine. Consequently they have received fines.

Mr Carmichael said: “The system as it stands at the moment with a division between pay and display and users of the surgery seems absolutely ludicrous and I intend to write to NHS Property Services Ltd suggesting that they review the entire approach, including waiving the fines previously issued.”

To add to the furore the ticket machine in the pay and display parking lot has reportedly not been working for between three and six weeks.

But Parking Eye, the Preston-based company that manages the site, has said that patients can still pay over the phone or by downloading an app online.

NHS Property Services will also not budge on the issue, with a spokesman saying: “Anyone with concerns about a fine they have received should contact Parking Eye on 0330 555 4444 who will look at each case individually.”

Although the landowners give the 0330 number to call with a complaint, numerous patients have told the SNJ that it is in fact a payment number and the correct number to call to appeal fines is 01772 450970.