Hospital trusts rake in millions from controversial parking charges
More than £2m was made in hospital parking charges by the NHS trust which runs New Cross Hospital in one year, new figures have revealed.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which also runs Cannock Chase Hospital, took in £2.3m in the last financial year - £1.6m from visitor parking, £685,380 from staff parking.
This was up from £2.2m the year before.
It compares to £3.6m income for University Hospitals of North Midlands, which runs County Hospital in Stafford, and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals, which runs Sandwell General Hospital, made £2.4m.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, made £1.1m and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, made £471,000, but most the revenue taken by a private finance initiative firm.
In total, NHS hospitals made £174m charging people for car parking.
Express & Star Comment: We’re sick of charges for parking at hospitals
Parking at New Cross Hospital costs £2.40 for up to one hour to £6.20 for up to 24 hours.
A Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust spokesman said: “The money collected from our car parks is reinvested back into patient care and the remainder is spent on car park improvements and repairs.
“Our parking fees are similar to those of neighbouring trusts and we are committed to providing a fair and competitive parking price.
“We offer concessions for patients and visitors visiting our hospitals on a regular basis, including cancer patients and other patients with long-term conditions.”
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said the current state of NHS finances meant it was sometimes hard to blame hospitals for trying to find money.
But she said that did not make the current situation acceptable.
She added: "For patients, parking charges amount to an extra charge for being ill.
"The increase in the number of trusts who are charging for disabled parking is particularly concerning.
"Patients who require disabled parking may have little choice but to access their care by car, and may need to do so often. Targeting them in this way feels rather cynical.
"The increase in parking fines is also worrying.
"Hospital appointments are often delayed or last longer than expected, so even if you pay for parking you could end up being fined if your ticket runs out."
Wolverhampton Liberal Democrat campaigner Rob Quarmby said: "Hospital car parking charges in the Black Country are a stealth tax on the sick and their families and it needed to stop."