Renal patients are struggling to park at a hospital – and one has missed vital treatment because of the problems.

Patients have reported that drivers without permits are parking in designated renal unit only bays at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.

And while car parking wardens are not fining the drivers wrongly parked in the bays – renal patients with permits are being fined for having to park elsewhere.

Paul Taylor, secretary of West Riding Kidney Patient Association, has written to the chief executive to highlight his concerns.

Mr Taylor, of Huddersfield, said: “Patients need to attend three times a week for 52 weeks a year for treatment and driving there gives us some independence, but it’s becoming more difficult to park.

“The three designated bays often have cars without permits parked in them and it’s time something was done.”

Staff on the renal unit contacted the car parking firm on behalf of patients – but they’ve been told the signs in the car park are not worded correctly so they cannot issue a fine to people parked in renal bays without a permit.

On a recent visit Andrew Goodwin was fined £60 when he had to park elsewhere because non-permit cars were in the renal bays.

On another he was unable to park and left without vital dialysis treatment.

He said: “When you’re facing dialysis three times a week, plus visits to the consultant, the last thing we need to be worried about is driving round and round to find somewhere to park.

“I was fined and they even put the fine over my permit. There is no compassion.

“The alternative, if this goes on, is to go back to using patient transport which will cost the taxpayer a lot more.”

Lesley Hill, director of planning, performance, estates and facilities at the Trust, said: “We are sorry to hear of these problems as the new car parking system was introduced to ensure all patients can access the care they need when they need it.

“If a ticket is issued and the car owner feels this is unfair there is an appeals process where clinical factors will, of course, be taken into consideration.

“We are continuously working with our car park provider ISS to improve our signage, the checking system and enforcements process to ensure the right people are parking in the right places to try to make sure patients, staff and visitors receive the best parking facilities we can.”