Car parking charges set to return at Warrington Hospital

Parking charges were suspended at the Lovely Lane site in March following the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

But after a year of free parking, Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that charges will return on April 1.

The first 30 minutes will be free for visitors, while motorists on site for up to up to two hours will have to pay £2.50.

Charges will rise to £3.50 for up to four hours stay, with costs of £5 and £6 for cars on site for up to six and 24 hours respectively.

Parking charges set to return at Warrington Hospital in bid to reduce congestion

The trust has confirmed that it has no plans to reintroduce charges for staff parking.

It stated that the key reason for the reinstatement of parking charges is continued congestion, especially at Warrington Hospital, where patients, visitors and staff are struggling to park.

A trust spokesman said: “This is despite restricted visiting, more than a third of outpatient appointments being held virtually and a reduction in some non-urgent elective work while the trust works through the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The trust has seen a 35 per cent increase in vehicle movements in the April to June period at its hospitals in the last two years.

“In an attempt to ease the situation, it has invested heavily in additional offsite car parking in Warrington, with 178 new offsite staff spaces created in the past two years.”

Some additional concessions have been added however, which will see some visitors exempt from paying for parking.

These include visitors to intensive care and for patients attending outpatients three or more times per calendar month.

READ> The current coronavirus situation at Warrington Hospital

Free overnight parking will also be available for up to two parents staying with children on the neonatal or children’s units.

This is in addition to parking concessions already available, including free parking for cancer patients, renal patients, visitors to those at end-of-life care and visitors to the urgent treatment centre.

Unpaid carers can take advantage of free parking with a signed ward request.

Weekly parking passes are available for £10, with a monthly saver costing £30.