A UNION has called for parking changes at a Glasgow hospital to be halted as the new low emission zone (LEZ) comes into force.

As previously reported by the Glasgow Times, staff parking at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary will be reduced by hundreds of spaces on June 1 – the same day the controversial LEZ scheme begins in the city centre.

Medics will be able to enter the multi-storey without entering the zone but, if they are unable to find a space, they’ll exit directly into the restricted area meaning they’ll be landed with a £60 fine if their car doesn’t meet the emissions.

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Unite’s NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) branch has written to the health board chief executive to suspend the reintroduction of managed car parking as it proposed “unmitigated risk” for staff.

A spokesperson for the union branch told the Glasgow Times the changes, which will see around 1,000 parking spaces reduced by more than half, it was “unfair” for staff, patients and visitors alike to be fined for attending vital medical appointments or simply showing up to work.

They added: “If your car doesn’t meet the criteria, you are then fined.

“If you decide to use public transport, depending on where you live, that has a knock-on effect on start and finish times, childcare etc and it also has the same effect on patients and visitors.

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“It could cost them £60 for that fine.”

Glasgow City Council has been bombarded with requests to postpone the introduction of the LEZ with protests taking place last weekend.

Meanwhile, the health board has faced calls to show “loyalty” to staff by increasing the number of parking spaces allocated for medics at the hospital.

A spokesperson for the health board said it was in contact with staff to minimise destruction.

They said: “As the GRI is surrounded by arterial roads serving Glasgow city centre, space on the campus is limited to 1373 available car parking spaces. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity to increase this provision, which means that car parking space allocation has to be properly managed to ensure that the hospital is accessible and to minimise potential hazards for both pedestrians and other vehicles.

"As will be the case at all NHSGGC car parks, there will be a system of permit and non-permit staff spaces, and at the GRI staff parking will account for more than 45 per cent of the available spaces … We recognise that some of our staff may have concerns around parking within, or near to, the GRI but we hope that the re-introduction of controlled car parking across a number of our sites, will address some of the peak, Monday to Friday challenges that parking at busy hospital sites create, and in doing so strike a balance between the needs of staff, patients and visitors.”