Hospital car parking charges
Tuesday, 04 Mar 2008 10:16
Patients at most NHS hospitals in Wales will not have to pay to park from April
Health campaigners have welcomed the announcement that patients in Wales will no longer have to pay to park at the majority of NHS hospitals from April 2008.
Health minister Edwina Hart said patients, staff and visitors would be able to park for free at almost every NHS hospital in Wales by the end of 2011.
The only hospitals without free parking will be those where NHS trusts have external contracts in place, however they will be required to propose and fund schemes to reduce costs until contracts expire.
The assembly government claims that by 2011 only four hospital sites out of a total of 130 will be due to still have parking charges in place.
Last year nearly £5.4million was collected by NHS trusts in Wales from hospital parking charges.
The additional costs to the NHS of removing parking charges will be met from within annual NHS funding allocations.
Ms Hart said the decision would ensure a "fairer and more consistent car parking policy for hospitals across Wales".
"Car parking charges fall heavily on people frequently attending NHS hospitals, whether they are patients, staff or visitors. They are at best an inconvenience and at worst an unfair expense," she added.
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