Hospital parking abuse crackdown

Wales is the first UK country to reform hospital parking charges

Motorists abusing free parking at a Swansea hospital are being warned their vehicles will be clamped.

There has been "a significant increase" in the number of cars parked at Singleton Hospital since charges were scrapped at the start of this month.

The site is close to the National Pool, Swansea University and the seafront.

Under a Welsh Assembly Government initiative, 120 of Wales' 130 NHS hospitals and units are no longer able to charge for parking.

The Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust said it will start clamping cars belonging to people who do not work at the hospital, are not patients or visiting.

We've had some cars parked on zebra crossings, ambulance bays and pavements Joanne Jones, hospital trust

The trust's operational services manager Joanne Jones said: "As expected, this has proved a particular problem at Singleton.

"We understand that finding a parking space has been frustrating on some occasions for patients and visitors.

"Our car parking officers have challenged a number of drivers already but our requests have been ignored.

"As a result we've had some cars parked on zebra crossings, ambulance bays and pavements.

"The last thing we want is to compromise safety and, as a result, we'll be stepping up our enforcement action.

"Parking on our sites is for users of the hospital only and we will be clamping vehicles, and issuing penalty notices, if we do find drivers parking there for other reasons or if vehicles are parked illegally."

The trust said it had powers to issue penalty notices and fines up to £40 would be issued to those who offend.

It said there are more than 20 car parking officers on site at Singleton and Morriston hospitals, who will be carrying out regular patrols of public and staff parking areas and CCTV in also in operation.

Charges were scrapped at 120 hospitals and health units in Wales on 1 April after being called "at best an inconvenience and at worst an unfair expense" by health minister Edwina Hart.