Petition is successful with 617 signatures
To: Dine Romero, Leader of B&NES Council
Remove parking charges at Bath Pavilion vaccination centre
We have resolved the issue.
Bath's council is profiting from the pandemic by refusing to waive parking charges at the city's central vaccination site. As well as three-quarters of Bath’s population, this site is also vaccinating social care staff and staff working in the ambulance service (SWAST). The council must stop putting profit before health.
Why is this important?
As a local GP administering the vaccine, I know that any barrier to vaccination risks reducing uptake. Even a small reduction in uptake will have huge consequences. The cost of an unvaccinated person getting Covid and needing care at home or in hospital outweighs the profit not just in financial terms but in human ones. Short-term thinking has long-term costs.
Vulnerable residents have been shielding on and off since last March: going out to be vaccinated is challenging enough without adding logistical difficulties. For those who don't have the correct change, paying for parking involves downloading an app – stressful for many and impossible for people without a smartphone.
Many people are giving their time and services for free to facilitate this crucial roll out (e.g. volunteer marshals at the centre). Imposing parking charges flies in the face of the wonderful community spirit that has characterised the local response to the pandemic. We urge the council to drop these charges immediately and stop profiting from the pandemic.
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