Policy Booklet

As amended at Policy Meeting on 13/03/09

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Contents
Policy Title Page

Policy on Car Parking Charge at University Hospital, Coventry 3

Policy on Bus Fares 4
Policy on Rape Victims 5

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 Policy on Car Parking Charges at University Hospital, Coventry

This Society Notes:

- It currently costs £10 a day to park at University Hospital in Coventry

- Parking at hospitals in Scotland is free
- Car parking fees will contribute to the hospital’s budget.
- Coventry Lib Dems are running a petition to remove parking charges.

This Society Believes:

- Parking should be free at hospitals

- That the current situation is effectively a tax on illness.
- Free parking should not cause such a black hole in the budget so as to impede services.

This society resolves:

- To support Coventry Liberal Democrats in their campaign on car parking fees by encouraging
its members to sign the petition online.

Passed on: 13/03/2009

Due for renewal: Before end of Term 2 2009/10

N.B. The online petition can be found at http://www.covlibdems.org.uk/hospitalpetition

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 Policy on Bus Fares

This Society Notes:

- That bus fares have risen since September.

- A return ticket to Leamington, which was £2.50 in September, rose to £2.90 in December
and £3.05 in March

This Society Believes:

- That bus fares are too high

- That the Students’ Union is not campaigning strongly enough against these price rises.
- That bus fares should be lower for a heavily student populated area.
- That this society should make reduction of fees a key campaign for next year.

This society resolves:

- To set up a campaign against high bus fares next year.

- To apply pressure to the SU to campaign more effectively on this issue.
- To write to the NUS and other Liberal Democrat branches to get their support for a national
campaign to call on the government to re-regulate bus services outside of London.

Passed on: 13/03/2009

Due for renewal: Before end of Term 2 2009/10

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 Policy on Rape Victims

This Society Notes:

- Rape is a very traumatising and humiliating experience for the victim and a severe breach of
human rights.
- Rape victims currently have to be transported to an assessment centre, during which they
are degradingly treated like a crime scene.
- The nearest assessment centre to Coventry is Walsall, a substantial traumatic drive away.
- Coventry Liberal Democrats will run a campaign to establish a centre nearer Coventry.

This Society Believes:

- Rape victims should not be subjected to further trauma by the police where avoidable.
- It would be preferable to have a sympathetic and reasonable way to deal with victims.
- In lieu of this, there should be a nearer assessment centre provided so that victims do not
have to travel for over an hour when Walsgrave Hospital has ample facilities.

This society resolves:

- To support Coventry Liberal Democrats in their campaign for a more local assessment
centre.

Passed on: 13/03/2009

Due for renewal: Before end of Term 2 2009/10

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