PATIENTS, visitors and staff parking at the Countess of Chester Hospital forked out more than £2.5m for car parking in just two years.
Thousands of patients attending the city’s hospital for operations, injections and outpatients appointments are forced to pay up to £7 a day in car parking fees.
Now, figures revealed to The Chronicle through a Freedom of Information request, show the hospital trust netted £2,619,380 from car parking fees between 2010-2012 alone.
The figures, which do not include the sum generated for 2012-2013, show staff, patients and visitors parking at the health park spent £1,317,735 on car parking in 2011-2012 alone – a £16,090 increase on the previous year.
And, despite patients and visitors calling for more parking spaces or even a multi-storey on the site – which often sees long queues of traffic piling-up as motorists struggle to find parking spaces – the trust says it will not be spending a penny of the money on creating new car parking.
Even staff working at the hospital pay up to £42.50 – dependant on the amount they earn – every month to be able to park in one of the 1,199 staff spaces.
Commenting on the fees, outraged readers flooded The Chronicle’s Facebook page slating the charges as ‘daylight robbery’, and calling for improvements to the ‘nightmarish’ car parking, with many saying they park elsewhere to avoid the ‘atrocious’ charges.
Nikki Wood posted: “Total nightmare!
“I have several appointments a year not including blood tests etc, costs me a fortune and I’ve been late for appointments thanks to the usual drive around in circles waiting for a spot.”
And Nikki Anglesea said: “I think the price of parking there is awful. Especially to those visiting family long term. Or, for example, somebody who is with their wife or is a birthing partner on labour ward could be parked there for up to 36 hours. It’s a disgrace to have to pay such a fortune.”
Out of the generated income the trust spent £25,936 of the fees maintaining the car parks’ barriers, ticket systems and providing 24-hour manned security, but say they spend the rest of the money elsewhere in the hospital.
Chief executive Tony Chambers said the trust had made several attempts to reduce car parking congestion including staggered visiting times, and had introduced a free 30-minute parking period and exemptions.
“The Countess is always listening to the public and we understand that at times car parking on our site during busy periods can be frustrating,” he said.
“However, at present during these financially challenging times, any capital investment made by the trust is focusing solely on projects that have a direct impact on the delivery of patient care.”
