Disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight and staff working night shifts will not have to pay for NHS car parking from April 2020, under a new approach set out by Health Secretary, Matt Hancock.
The government will also consider car parking capacity across the country, and how improved technology will reduce burdens for hospitals and take away stress for visitors.
From April, all 206 hospital Trusts in England will be expected to provide free car parking to groups that may be frequent hospital visitors, or those disproportionately impacted by daily or hourly charges for parking.
Technology has helped a number of Trusts to improve their parking, and the Department of Health and Social Care will work with the NHS in the coming months to identify and spread practical parking options that can make the most difference quickly. These could include Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and ticket or token systems through which eligible people are able to redeem free parking, or receive a refund.
