THERE was an interesting news item last week. Thanks to the Freedom Of Information Act, it was revealed that income from parking charges at Addenbrooke s Hospital last year was more than £1million. That means that if you are unwell, if one of your loved-

THERE was an interesting news item last week. Thanks to the Freedom Of Information Act, it was revealed that income from parking charges at Addenbrooke's Hospital last year was more than £1million.

That means that if you are unwell, if one of your loved-ones is unwell, or even if your work is caring for the unfortunate people who need a hospital you have to contribute to their fund, some of which may go towards more parking.

It may go towards more parking once the cost of the parking attendants and all the signs and machines have been paid for, that is.

Even if you have an appointment and can get into the patients' car park it still costs you £2.50 which can be a bit galling if your appointment only lasts 10 minutes.

It probably says something about Cambridge, that attending hospital for whatever reason will cost £2.50 in parking while using the park-and-ride to go shopping only comes to £1.80.

Apparently, we are not supposed to use cars to get to Addenbrooke's, we should use the bus or a bicycle.

Have any of these bright sparks seen the bus timetable from Soham to Addenbrooke's? And exactly how does someone with a hospital-worthy problem bike 17 miles?

Perhaps we should just send them some money every now and again and stay out of their way, they obviously don't want us there.

Let's hope that the proposal to bring in parking charges at the Princess of Wales stays just that, a proposal.