Royal Berkshire Hospital increases car parking charges

Patients and visitors are set to benefit from new parking spaces at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The 120 extra spaces have been made available after relocating the staff car park from the third floor of the multi-storey building to another site.

The price of a two hour stay has also increased by 60p to £3, which is the same as local authority car parking.

Hospital chiefs said a policy would be put in place to allow staff working shifts to park securely on site.

Clive Walsh, chief operating officer, said the price hike was brought in to deter shoppers from using the hospital car park because it was cheaper.

"We have put the price up to bring them in line with local authority car parks so there's no potential incentive for people to park in our car park and then go into town," he said.

He added that security or group rendezvous points would be made available to some staff who had expressed concern at having to walk up to 10 minutes to the staff car park, in Queen's Road.