A new investigation has revealed increased parking charges at a third of NHS hospitals in England.<\/p>\n
Research conducted by the Press Association has suggested that a third of NHS hospitals have raised fees for parking in the last 12 months. Some hospitals are now charging rates of up to \u00a34 per\u00a0hour.<\/p>\n
The investigation showed that most hospitals in England have not increased charges, however those that did raise fees did so by an average of 15 percent. Researchers found that the most expensive trust was the Royal Surrey County Hospital, which charged \u00a34 for stays up to two hours. Alf Turner, deputy chief executive, explained that the charges were required to cover the cost of expansion work, which was currently underway to create more parking spaces and to cover the cost of keeping the car park open.<\/p>\n
At the other end of the spectrum, patients in Trafford, Greater Manchester, are able to park for free for up to three hours.<\/p>\n
The investigation also revealed that 38 percent of trusts charged for disabled parking. Seven percent of hospitals decreased parking charges last year.<\/p>\n