No rise in hospital parking charges

Patients and visitors at the Royal Oldham Hospital have been told there are no plans to hike parking charges — unlike one in four NHS trusts.

A spokeswoman for Pennine Acute Trust said it had no intention of raising charges at the moment.

The last increase was last August, at £2.20 for up to four hours, £4.40 for 4-10 hours, £6 for 10-24 hours and £12 for a week.

New data from 197 hospital and mental-health trusts found that while some have cut prices, 28 per cent have increased them and some have more than doubled.

Hospitals in England make millions every year from parking, which is free for most in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Overall, car parks in hospital trusts in the South-West were the most affordable, at an average of 52p per hour.

London and the South-East had the most expensive charges at an average of £1.02 per hour.

Separate analysis found some trusts are charging much more than the national average (77p) for an hour’s hospital parking, based on the average from a three–hour stay. A four-hour stay at the Royal Oldham Hospital would cost £2.20 - 55p an hour.