Sharp rise in parking income at Royal Preston and Chorley Hospital, as bosses point to running costs

It comes after new analysis revealed that the cash generated from parking fees at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) – which operates the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital – rose by 22 percent between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Meanwhile, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTH) – which runs Blackpool Victoria and Clifton Hospital in Lytham St. Annes – saw its parking revenue leap by 44 percent over the same period.

The Lancashire Post has established that neither of the organisations increased their parking charges during the timeframe covered by the research, but both have done so since.

The analysis – carried out by personal finance website The Grade for its Hospital Parking Report 2024 – relates to revenue from visitors and patients only and excludes any charges levied on staff.

At the Preston and Chorley sites, parking revenue rose by more than £340,000 across the two financial years in question, from £1,574,450 to £1,914,717.

The Blackpool trust’s facilities saw an increase of just over £351,000, from £799,933 to £1,150,961 over the same period

Both trusts stressed that income from parking does not equate to profit, because the money generated has to cover a wide range of running costs, including maintenance, CCTV, lighting, drainage, security, business rates and shuttle bus services – all of which have themselves become more expensive over recent years.

Neither organisation said whether any surplus at all was generated after those bills had been paid. LTH’s accounts do not break down car parking revenue beyond the total income received, while those of BTH refer to expenditure on both “car parking and security”, which totalled £1.45m during 2022/23.

The increase in the amounts generated by car parking at BTH and LTH between 2021/22 and 2022/23 – in the absence of a hike in fees during that period – is likely to be attributable to the return of more normal visiting and appointment patterns as Covid restrictions were gradually lifted.

In the case of LTH, the rise will also have been affected by the fact that a significant section of the Royal Preston’s car park was given over to a temporary Nightingale unit – initially in preparation for any surge in Covid as a result of the Omicroin variant, but later used as discharge facility – during the final quarter of the 2021/22 financial year.

LTH also noted that the national policy on NHS car parking concessions meant that there are subsidies for those most in need, which enable them to park either for free or at low cost. The trust did not issue any further comment.

Commenting on the figures for BTH, Janet Barnsley, the trust’s director of integrated care, said: “Parking charges for both visitors and trust staff increased for the first time since 2014 in June last year.

“The trust has worked hard to keep prices down for visitors but was no longer able to do so as we have experienced higher running costs and an increase in inflation.

“The Covid pandemic had a significant impact on visitor parking income in 2021/22. Restrictions on visiting remained in place until early 2023. Outpatient appointments were also conducted remotely by telephone or video call where possible, further reducing income.

“We are conscious of people facing increased costs of living and have made sure our parking charges remain in line with other local NHS trusts. To further help our visitors we also offer a wide range of concessions and free parking for some patients as well as free parking between 7.30pm and 8am.”

A spokesperson for The Grade said of the firm’s research: “After a hiatus during the pandemic, parking charges are back with a vengeance. For many vulnerable individuals and their caregivers, these fees represent an unavoidable expense, effectively acting as a tax on both the sick and those who support them.”

WHO GETS HELP WITH HOSPITAL PARKING?

The Conservatives pledged in their 2019 election manifesto to “end unfair hospital car parking charges by making parking free for those in greatest need”. As of 2022, the following concessions are mandatory across all hospital car parks for visitors and those attending appointments:

Disabled people

Disabled patients and visitors receive free parking for the duration of their attendance at, or visit to, the hospital. A disabled person is classed as a holder of a valid Blue Badge attending hospital as a patient or visitor.

Frequent outpatient attenders

Parking is provided free to all outpatients who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months. A ‘month’ is defined as a period of 30 days.

Parents of sick children staying overnight

Free parking is available between 7.30pm and 8.00am, while visiting the child, for a maximum of two vehicles.

The parent of a child in hospital overnight is defined as a parent or guardian of a young person, under 18 years of age, who is an inpatient during those hours.

Voluntary concessions

According to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), concessions – including free or reduced charges or caps – should also be available for the following groups, but these do remain at the discretion of each NHS trust:

***visitors with relatives who are gravely ill and their carers;

***visitors with relatives who have an extended stay in hospital and their carers.

The DHSC says: “NHS organisations should continue to work with their patients and staff, local authorities and public transport providers to make sure that users can get to the site – and park if necessary – as safely, conveniently and economically as possible.

“Charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the area.”

Source: Department for Health and Social Care

PRICE OF PARKING

Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital (following last increase in November 2023)

Up to 30 minutes – free

Up to 1 hour – £2.80

Up to 2 hours- £3.80

Up to 4 hours – £6

Up to 6 hours- £6.60

Up to 8 hours – £8.80

For 24 hours – £10

Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Clifton Hospital (following last increase in June 2023)

up to 1 hour – £1.40

1-2 hours – £2.70

2-3 hours – £3.20

3 to 6 hours £4.20

Over 6 hours £6.30

Sources: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust