STAFF parking at Worcestershire’s hospitals will remain free according to the county’s health trust who also confirmed parking charges for patients and visitors will no longer go-ahead next week.
We reported yesterday (Thursday) on the proposed reintroduction of car parking charges at the Worcestershire Royal, Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital and the Kidderminster Treatment Centre from Monday (August 8).
But the move has now been delayed after hospital chiefs discovered an issue with arrangements for the collection of cash from ticket machines.
“To ensure all ticket machines across all our sites – for both cash and card payments – are available for use by patients and visitors, we have decided to defer the reintroduction of parking charges,” a spokesman from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said.
“Parking will remain free for all patients and visitors across all our sites until further notice. Free parking will also continue for all our staff across all hospital sites.”
Car parking has been free at the Worcestershire Royal, Redditch’s Alexandra and Kidderminster’s Treatment Centre since March 2020 and the onset of the pandemic.
Trust chiefs snubbed a Government move in April to reintroduce charges in favour of extending the perk until the end of June citing a ‘review of its parking policy’.
Once reintroduced, there will be no changes to the free parking for Blue Badge holders and the Trust has confirmed a number of concessions will remain.
Those visiting an immediate relative who is a long-stay patient or who are patients receiving regular treatment may be eligible for a reduced-fee parking pass.
Concessions are available for terminally ill patients, those undergoing cardiac exercise, those in the Coronary Care Unit, Intensive Therapy Unit, Critical Care Unit, oncology or paediatrics.
Cases of bereavement and those in long stay treatment or on the renal unit may also qualify for a concession.
