Hospitals bring in parking fees

The charges at the two hospitals will begin in February

Plans to bring in car parking charges at two Leicester hospitals have been approved by health officials.

Patients and visitors will now have to pay to park at the Leicester General and Glenfield hospitals.

The move was criticised by the Leicester Patients' Group, which has campaigned against the fees.

Anne MacGregor from the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust said the charges were needed to ensure patients can park in time for appointments.

'More staff'

"We've had a situation for several years now where our car parks have become increasingly busier at the Glenfield and the General Hospital. We're seeing more patients and having to employ more staff.

"The car parks are saturated and we need to put in a car park management system to ensure that patients can at least have a half way chance of procuring a space to cover their appointment time," she said.

She added that the trust had worked with patients' groups to make sure the charges were fair.

Managers had suggested charging up to £12 a day or £25 a week, which has been cut to £5 daily and £10 weekly.

Charges reduced

Zaffer Haq, chairman of the Leicester Patients' Group, said his group had campaigned for the charges to be reduced but still did not think any fee was necessary.

"It is something that nobody wants the trust to do.

"Car parking should be free. The money that they're spending on looking after parking at the two sites is coming out of patient care, so there has to be a balance and we fought for the charges to be cut."

The parking fees will be in operation from 5 February.