County attacked as parking regulations hit patient care

THE wife of a cancer sufferer has been told that the county council may not look into parking restrictions, which delay patient care, for months.

Sue Rudorf, from Fowey, said that her husband Simon had to be visited by nurses who were having to park outside the town centre to avoid fines issued by the council's new traffic wardens.

It was hoped the county council would allow flexibility of parking for carers after cases in Looe and St Ives were highlighted.

But County Hall decided to refer this to a scrutiny committee, which will present its findings at the next full council meeting, in September.

Mrs Rudorf, said: “It should be dealt with as soon as possible – I know of other people in Fowey who require regular care who are affected. It's nuts that this should be shoved on the back burner as it is an issue involving the emergency services. I would like to see the old doctors' space on Albert Quay reinstated and for people to stop parking in doctor spaces in Fowey and Polruan.”

Looe county councillor Armand Toms, said there was a similar case in Looe. A carer had received a parking ticket and now had to park up to 20 minutes away.

“I am flabbergasted and deeply upset at the treatment of this motion. At the end of the day they could have made a recommendation which would have been acted on today but by going to committee it will be discussed and then come back to full council in September or October, which is a couple of months or more. If you're going to push it back that long it is going to impact on the service of the carers. While they're walking to and from the patients that is wasting time when they could be delivering a service to someone who is in critical need.

He added: “We have a desperate need here and it's atrocious that it is not being met. I'm really upset, and I don't get upset about a lot of things, but caring for people that need it seems such a simple thing to ask.”