Nuneaton's hospital to hike parking charge for staff, patients and visitors

As of next month it will cost more to park at the George Eliot Hospital



Staff, patients and visitors at Nuneaton's hospital will soon have to pay more to park there. The George Eliot Hospital has confirmed to CoventryLive that the price to use its car parks will increase as of next month.

For patients and visitors, they will see an extra 50p added to every parking rate. For staff, their monthly parking pass will rise from £13.50 to £18 every month.

The new charges come into force on Thursday, February 20. It has been said that the 30 minutes 'grace' and free parking provisions will remain at the 'Eliot.

With the change looming, people will soon spot signage and information around the hospital site to pre-warn of the car park price rise. "We will still be one of the cheapest hospitals around to park at," Dr Catherine Free, the 'Eliot's managing director told CoventryLive.

"But we felt that we didn't want the cost of the changes we are making to improve our parking for patients and staff, as we have problems with availability of spaces, to take away frontline services.

"So that is the compromise we are having to make."

She added that they have consulted on the planned price charges with staff and also the patient forum. "These changes are ones that we have taken through all of our internal groups so that staff who use the car parks and patients who use the car parks have had an input on this," Dr Free explained.

The new patient and visitors charges as of February 20

• Up to 30 minutes - free
  
• 30 minutes to 1 hour - rising from £2.50 to £3
  
• Up to 2 hours - rising from £3.50 to £4
  
• Up to 3 hours - rising from £4.50 to £5
  
• Up to 4 hours - rising from £5.50 to £6
  
• Up to 5 hours - rising from £7.50 to £8
  
• Up to 6 hours- rising from £8.50 to £9
  
• Up to 24 hours - rising from £12 to £12.50

The old parking barriers are set to go and the car parks will have airport style ANPR systems in place. The news about the parking charges comes after the hospital said that some staff who live within a one-mile radius of the site will soon no longer be able to park there.

The new ANPR-controlled parking will mean that, for the majority staff who live within a one-mile radius, they will not be eligible for a car parking permit. Instead they will have to walk or cycle to and work, or use public transport.

Dr Free said that, working with Warwickshire County Council, more bus services are now running to and from the hospital. This includes at the start and end of shifts to help staff.