Birmingham resident rents out drive opposite Heartlands Hospital

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Akeel Ahmed charges £5 for all-day parking – a serious saving on the £10.20 for up to 24 hours demanded by nearby Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. The father spent around £20,000 turning his driveway into a car park for up to 20 motors.

Akeel, 33, is also aimiong to profit from the school run by offering £2 offers for drop-off and pick-up slots at the start and end of weekdays.

Customers simply drop the cash through the letterbox and head off about their business.

Speaking from his home opposite the hospital, the dad of three told Birmingham Live: “The first few months were quiet but over the last six weeks it has picked up. It’s mainly hospital users, patients and staff. I’ve have had a few nurses park up.

“The nurses in particular can’t get permits to park up (at the hospital), here, £5 is nothing. And it’s secure, every time a car goes in, I know about it.

“I get four or five cars a day, some days I get none. Weekends I can get none. If all 20 bays are full, it will be £100 a day but at the moment it’s more like £10.

“I also offer for nurses to split their bay with another colleague so it’s £2.50 a day – it’s as cheap as chips.”

The house, which Akeel grew up in, is only around seven miles from Birmingham Airport. Akeel has also had holidaymakers use his driveway.

He continued: “I’m on the JustPark app and a lady left her car here for a month for £58. It’s good for the airport.

“Everyone who has approached me says it’s brilliant. It’s right opposite the hospital, on the dual carriageway, it’s convenient and I’m making use of the land.

“I think it’s going to be worth it. I’m making the area nicer as it was very overgrown. I contacted the council and they saw it as a positive.”

Akeel, who lets out the property, has installed motion-triggered CCTV at the address.

His idea came about in October last year when a patient asked if he could park on his drive, and handed him £5 “for his trouble”.

The dad said: “I sorted the whole place which cost £20,000. That included the dig, materials and labour. It took about three weeks because I wanted it in a way you go in and go out. There will be 20 bays at a push, at the moment it is 18. It’s a work in progress.

“A guy came here while I was clearing the garden and asked if he could park – that was the lightbulb moment.”

Heartlands Hospital is on a red route, where congestion and parking is a massive headache. Signs are placed on the front of multiple driveways warning drivers not to block them.

Motorists have dumped cars on pavements and even in the middle of mini roundabouts in a bid to avoid hospital car park payment.

Parking for the first 30 minutes is free at Heartlands Hospital. It is then £3.10 for up to two hours, £5.10 for four hours, £7.20 for up to six hours and £10.20 for up to 24 hours.

Discount multiple tickets are available and individuals on income-related state benefits may qualify for free parking.

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