Patients should have say in new car parking regime at Conquest, say campaigners
The public should have a say on the future of parking charges at the Conquest Hospital, campaigners have said.
Lobbyists met with hospital bosses to discuss the current unpopular charges last week.
Nick Perry, LibDem parliamentary spokesman for Hastings, his Conservative counterpart Amber Rudd, Hastings MP Michael Foster and Margaret Williams, chairman of Hands off the Conquest, spoke with trust chairman Irene Dibben.
Mr Perry said: "In respect of deciding upon a fair tariff structure I wonder if the trust would consider setting up some sort of Citizen's Jury to make a recommendation on the charges to the trust's board.
He said last week's meeting was a 'constructive discussion' and added the trust was to be 'congratulated' on its recent decision to overturn the delay on 'pay-as-you-leave' parking.
Mr Perry said: "There were a number of issues raised by the different attendees including the current parking enforcement contractor, pricing and the staff parking situation."
He urged the trust to scrap staff parking charges altogether. Currently staff have to pay 50p a day to park.
Mrs Williams said: "The pricing policy must reflect the deprivation in Hastings and the present credit crunch when all families are suffering.
"The staff charges should be either done away with or reduced. This would put a stop to them parking in the residential areas around the hospital which is a great source of irritation to the residents."
Mrs Dibben said the recent meeting was a 'very worthwhile exercise'.
She said: "It was pleasing to hear that the introduction of the new pay on exit scheme was welcomed by all as being a fairer way of managing car parking at the hospital.
"I appreciate there are concerns about the current enforcement arrangements and many of these will be resolved with the introduction of the new scheme."
She added that there were plans to introduce a subsidised bus fare scheme for hospital staff.
East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Conquest together with Eastbourne District General Hospital (DGH), is introducing a pay-as-you-leave parking scheme from autumn.
Bosses had originally postponed the plans in March for a year due to lack of money.
The pay-on-exit system will replace the current pay and display ticket scheme in the main visitor car parks at both the Conquest and the DGH, which will enable patients and visitors to pay for parking when they leave the hospital car parks rather than when they arrive.
The trust said it decided to implement the new system at a cost of 240,000 after listening to suggestions and feedback from patients and visitors.
It receives 850,000 from visiting drivers and 230,000 from staff paying to park.
The Conquest charges 1 to park for 30 minutes, 2 for two hours, 4 for four and 6 for 24 hours.
The new system will also be programmed to offer an initial 20-minute free stay period to allow for pick up and drop off.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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