Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Share your email to get the latest property news More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Share your email to get the latest property news Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice An entrepreneurial dad-of-three came up with a clever plan to help out struggling NHS workers while also making a quick buck. Akeel Ahmed, 35, lives close to Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, which charges £10.20 for a 24-hour ticket. Enterprising Akeel spotted an opportunity to undercut the prices on site and allow staff to park at his home for less than half that price. He decided to transform his driveway into a 20-space car park, which he hopes will regularly be full of Heartlands workers. Akeel charges £5 for all-day parking and although he plans to turn a profit on the scheme, he has to play the long game - as it cost him around £20,000 to overhaul the site, reports Birmingham Live . Read More Related Articles 'I bought a house in
Italy for 86p - but I had to give it up before I could move in' Read More Related Articles Neighbours face court action over 'farcical' fence row with council Akeel Ahmed rents out parking spaces outside his home to hospital staff and visitors (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live) Speaking in March 2022, when 18 of the planned 20 spaces were completed, the dad revealed that the idea came about after a hospital visitor asked him if they could park on his driveway - at the corner of Alston Road and Bordesley Green East - and gave him a fiver "for his trouble". From there, Akeel - who grew up in the property but now rents it out - set about turning the space into a mini-car park. He installed motion-triggered CCTV and has customers drop their cash payment into a letterbox. Although business started slowly, it began to pick up and Akeel believes it will soon become a money-spinner. He also plans on cashing in on parents who have kids at a local primary, with a £2 school run offer. Akeel turned his corner driveway into a small parking lot (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live) Akeel said: "A guy came here while I was clearing the garden and asked if he could park - that was the lightbulb moment. 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. 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 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. Akeel is hoping to make a profit from school run parents too (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live) "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. "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." Top news stories today Body bin killer due for jail release Pro-life group has only male executives Lorraine Kelly opens up on miscarriage Tot with race condition doesn't sleep Bordesley Green East is a busy route with traffic and parking issues a common occurrence. Many homeowners have erected signs outside their property to warn motorists not to block their driveway. But drivers have left cars on pavements and even in the middle of mini roundabouts to avoid paying hospital car park fees. Parking for the first 30 minutes is free at Heartlands Hospital. Then it's £3.10 for up to 2 hours, £5.10 for four hours, £7.20 for up to 6 hours and £10.20 for up to 24 hours. Discount multiple tickets are available and people on income-related state benefits may get free parking. Join the Daily Record
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