A parking management company has won a top prize thanks to a scheme which helps disabled outpatients and visitors at a hospital.
The system developed by VINCI Park at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland, provides 12 electric scooters and wheelchairs for disabled patients and visitors.
It allows them to park their cars and then pick up a scooter or wheelchair in the car park and make their way to the hospital for appointments or visits.
The scheme won the Equita Overall Award at the British Parking Awards ceremony organised by Parking Review magazine and Landor Conferences, sponsored by Equita and supported by the British Parking Association.
The pioneering scheme started on 1 August last year, and at the launch Ninewells head of support services, Brian Main, said: “We see this as a very exciting development, which we believe demonstrates our commitment to improve access for disabled patients and complements our courtesy bus service, another earlier successful joint initiative with VINCI Park.”
And VINCI Park chief executive Mark Evans added: “We felt that, as we are now charging disabled users, they should be the ones to benefit from the surplus.
“We are pleased to be able to support the independent movement of people with disabilities around the hospital.
“We have taken up a proven value-added service – shopmobility – and adapted it to meet the needs of a specialised hospital environment.”
Copyright © PA Business 2008
