Midlands hospitals among the top in country for car park charges

Four hospitals from the Midlands are among the country’s biggest earners for car park charges, a PA news investigation has found.

The study found hospitals across the country made over £254 million from charges in the last year - up 10% from the previous year, and a record high.

Our region's biggest earners:

Credit: PA Images

The survey also found patients and visitors who've had to pay the increased fees at NHS Trusts have “often struggled to find spaces, experience a lack of disabled parking, long queues and parking meters that do not work.”

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The investigation also found:

  • One in three hospitals in England increased the cost of parking last year

  • Half of NHS trusts charged for disabled parking

  • One in 10 people surveyed could not find disabled parking

  • 10% said they were confused by parking rules

  • 11% said they could not pay in the way they wanted to

The Deputy chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordery said the increases were frustrating but necessary:

She went on to say abolishing car park charges could cost around £200 million per year, which could "impact on patient care".

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