Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is increasing car parking fees for patients and visitors starting on April 7th. The trust cites rising costs, upgrades, and investments in alternative transportation as reasons for the increase. Details on the new fees and alternative travel options are provided.
Car parking charges for patients and visitors at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust are set to increase for the first time since 2021. The new fees will be implemented at the Royal Shrewsbury (RSH) and Princess Royal (PRH) hospitals, as well as William Farr House in Shrewsbury, starting on April 7th. The trust cited rising operational costs, essential upgrades, and investments in alternative transportation options such as a park and ride service as the reasons for the increases.
A spokesperson emphasized that the adjustments are necessary to cover the expenses associated with maintaining and operating the car parks.The fee structure will see an increase in up to two hours of parking to £5.50, a rise of £2, and a 24-hour parking charge increasing to £9.50, an increase of £1. The spokesperson stated that they believe these increases are in line with charges at other hospitals and any surplus generated will be reinvested back into car parking facilities and frontline services. The trust confirmed that existing exemptions for certain groups, including individuals visiting for bereavement-related issues, will remain unchanged after the price adjustments.The trust is actively exploring alternative travel options to alleviate parking pressures. Paula Gardner, the trust's interim chief nursing officer, highlighted their ongoing commitment to developing new schemes that enhance parking accessibility for everyone. They are currently trialing a new patient park and ride service at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, which will run until April 18th. Additionally, regular bus routes within the town service stops at or near the hospital. The trial park and ride scheme operates from Oxon park and ride in Shrewsbury to the hospital between 10:00 and 15:00 GMT. While there is no park and ride service available for the PRH in Telford at present, the trust indicated their intention to evaluate the success of the Shrewsbury trial before considering its implementation at the PRH.Furthermore, the trust spokesperson revealed that they have implemented various initiatives over the past 12 months to improve car parking facilities. These include staff park and ride schemes designed to free up parking spaces for patients and visitors. The spokesperson assured that these improvements will be progressively implemented at both hospital sites and William Farr House over the coming months
HEALTHCARE HOSPITALPARKING TRANSPORTATION FEES COSTS
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