Covid-19 testing site staff say being landed with parking tickets while working on the pandemic frontline is a “slap in the face”.
Those working within the Park Place walk-through testing site could be faced with paying hundreds of pounds after being stung for “multiple tickets”.
One whistle-blower said staff — who work for private firm Mitie — were granted permission to park on campus for free during the last six months.
Confusion has reigned in recent weeks after Dundee University took the decision to no longer allow them free parking there as they try to accommodate students and staff.
The person working at the centre said workers “wouldn’t be paying the fines” which could increase to £85 per ticket.
Key workers
The worker said: “It’s a total slap in the face given the work we are carrying out here at the testing site.
“I can tell you right now those that have received these tickets won’t be paying the fines.
“Over the last few months we have parked on campus for free right on the testing site — like all the other sites that Mitie are working at.
“There was some discussion that we would be expected to park at Greenmarket given staff at the university would be returning.
“With that being said, it was to be free parking at Greenmarket and our registration plates would be recognised by the cameras.
“We’d all tried to gain access down there and no one was able to get in — some of the workers were trying daily.
“As a result, we returned back to the Park Place site and began using the spaces there again.
“The campus know the vehicles and the work we are doing here yet the tickets are coming daily.
“But we have no alternative free parking.”
Issues with parking
The worker added: “To us working here, it doesn’t look like the university, council or Mitie know definitively who was meant to be parking where.”
A spokeswoman for Dundee City Council confirmed they had reached an “agreement” with Dundee University to let staff park in Greenmarket.
She added: “An agreement was reached with Dundee University to let staff park in Greenmarket car park to allow space for the Covid-19 testing site at Park Place.
“This agreement requires notification of vehicle registration numbers so that the car park software records the vehicle’s presence.”
‘We value the important work’
A spokesman for Dundee University said: “We support and value the important work of the test centre and that is why we have made space available free of charge to the Scottish Government for it to be located on our campus.
“Test centre staff are currently able to park on campus at the university’s standard visitor rate.”
A spokeswoman for Mitie said: “Free parking arrangements for colleagues working at the Park Place test site were changed to the Greenmarket Car Park in June.
“We encourage any colleagues having issues with the license plate scanners at the Greenmarket Car Park to speak to us so the issue can be resolved.”