HIGHER car parking charges left patients scrambling for more change at Halton and Warrington hospitals this week.
A rise of 50p was introduced on Monday, August 14, for patients and visitors.
Mike Atkinson, of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "The rise is necessary for the trust to meet the increasing costs of running and maintaining its car parks.
"This ensures that money for clinical services is not being used to subsidise parking facilities. Even with this increase, parking at both sites remains lower than at most hospitals in the north west."
Badge holders, he said, would continue to be able to park for free and concessions were still available for regular visitors.
It now costs £1.50 to park for up to three hours, £2 for more than three hours and £1.50 between 6pm-7pm.
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