Hike in parking charges at Shropshire hospitals announced - here's when prices will increase

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has announced it is making changes to its car parking rates from Monday, April 7.

SaTH said the hike in parking charges is due to rising costs and has been brought in to "ensure it can cover costs associated with running and maintaining" car parks at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and William Farr House in Shrewsbury.

The change is the first increase in charges for patients and visitors since 2021,  and will also contribute towards "essential" upgrades and investment in parking alternatives, such as a Park & Ride services, according to the trust.

From Monday, April 7, parking for up to 20 minutes will be free for patients and visitors.

But, it will cost a mighty £4 for up to one hour parking, £5 for up to two hours parking, £6.50 for up to three hours parking, £7.50 for up to four hours parking, and £9.50 for 24 hours of parking. 

SaTH says concessions which are currently in place for some patients and their relatives will remain and are unaffected by the changes. These include blue badge holders, patients receiving renal dialysis or cancer treatment, those visiting the hospital for issues connected to bereavement, parents of sick children staying overnight and frequent attenders.

The hospital trust added that all revenue from parking is used to pay for the maintenance of its car parks, off-site car parking and the Park & Ride service. 

The Trust said it has made a commitment that any surplus will be reinvested into further easing car parking and frontline services. 

Interim Chief Nursing Officer at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Paula Gardner said: "We have not taken this decision to increase parking charges lightly. 

"We remain committed to providing the best experience for our patients and visitors. Over the past year we have been working to improve car parking on both hospital sites and are making steady progress. We know parking remains a challenge and finding a space is frustrating when you have an appointment or are visiting a loved one. 

"The Trust is continuing to invest in new schemes that will improve parking for everyone, including trialling a new patient Park & Ride at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. We will continue to listen to feedback from our patients, visitors and staff to improve parking for everyone and would like to thank people for their support and understanding."

SaTH said it has been working to improve car parking services for visitors, patients and staff with various measures during the past 12 months.

The trust said it has improved line painting and maximised unused land to create new spaces, invested in staff Park & Ride schemes to release car parking spaces "for people who need them most", had new cameras installed to give the trust more data on car parking usage to help manage demand, and had new parking machines installed to make payments "easier" for patients and visitors. 

The hospital trust said these improvements are being phased in at both Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and at the Princess Royal Hospital as well as at William Farr House.

SaTH said it also has plans to increase the number of electric car points and cycling facilities during the next few years.

The Trust is currently running a free trial for a Park & Ride service for patients and visitors to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. 

The service began operating on Monday, January 27 and runs from Oxon Park & Ride at the hospital between 10am and 3pm. 

GroupNexus, which is working in partnership with the Trust, said: “We are happy to work with SaTH to provide convenient parking solutions for patients, visitors and staff.”