‘It’s disgraceful to charge those who are critically ill’ - residents speak out on Chesterfield Royal Hospital's new parking charges

Parking had been free at the hospital throughout the Covid pandemic but on Monday the charges for patients, visitors and staff were reintroduced.

The price is £3.20 for 30 minutes to one hour. For one to two hours the price is £4.20, two to four hours is £5.50, four to six hours is £6.80 and six to 24 hours is £8.90.

A 14-visit pass can also be chosen upon payment for £27.80.

Additionally, hospital staff will have to pay for parking as well, but at a lower charge.

In Chesterfield town centre this week residents slammed the charges as ‘too expensive’.

Patrick Coughlan, from Chesterfield, said: “People are visiting others in a hospital to show their love. When you want to show your love to someone it should be from your heart, not your wallet.”

Deborah Whitworth added: “It is terrible. Parking should be included in what we pay for NHS and provided with health care. I have two appointments in October and I think I shouldn’t be forced to pay for parking.”

Jo Baker, from Chesterfield, said: “It’s disgusting, most people can’t afford it. A few years ago, we had to suddenly stay overnight with my grandson and the guard allowed us to park for a cheaper price. We wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise. With the new prices, staying there to visit someone would be simply too expensive for me.”

John O’Brien, from Chesterfield added: “It should be free. What they are charging now is definitely too much.”

Nina Allan, from Dronfield said: “There was a problem where people were parking in front of the hospital and going to the town, but that was years ago and stopped happening. With the new prices no one will visit anyone. It’s too expensive.”

Philip O’Gorman who lives in Winworth, said: “It’s disgraceful to charge those who are critically ill, those who take someone injured or ill to a hospital or those who are visiting terminally ill. It goes against the main principle of the NHS that health care should be free.”

Peter Mulcahy, from Chesterfield, said: “Sometimes you have to go to a hospital and wait for six hours to be seen. The parking should stay free or at least the money should go directly to the hospital, not a private company that owns the land. No one visiting somebody should pay. And the new prices are too much. People often spend from three to six hours in a hospital, sometimes 12. The staff shouldn’t pay either. It is terrible and disgraceful.”

Alongside the fees being reinstated, an Automatic Number plate Recognition (ANPR) system will be introduced in order to reduce congestion and support traffic flow around the site. This means there will be no entrance barriers on the visitor car park.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust has also announced that the Parking Charge Notices (PCNs) will be introduced ‘to promote safe and considerate parking’.

Steve Heppinstall, Director of Finance at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust said: “It was a very difficult decision to reintroduce car parking charges at the Trust, however, without charging, necessary maintenance work, security and CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems would have to be funded by the NHS, impacting on the money available for direct patient care.

“During the pandemic our Trust, alongside NHS organisations nationally, received national funding to offer free car parking, however this stopped on 31 March 2022.

“A 30 minute grace period will remain in place across all car parks with the pick-up/collection points also remaining free of charge.”

The hospital confirmed there will be designated car parks for staff and visitors. These are newly defined, as of this week as part of the process.

One of the car parks – car park 10 – is being split as part of the transition – meaning both staff and visitors will utilise it.