Overhaul for Shrewsbury and Telford hospital parking
A new car parking system and charges are about to be introduced to make it easier for people to pay when they visit hospital, alongside an improved range of concessions.
From Monday, a new automatic number plate recognition system will be launched to manage car parking at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
This system will deliver some key improvements, including a range of more convenient ways for people to pay on exit, improving the flow of vehicles to make spaces available for those who need them, increasing security, and allowing parking attendants to concentrate on helping visitors rather than enforcement. Alongside this will be an improved range of concessions and other help with transport costs.
The new system will also be introduced at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford during the winter. This will give the Trust time to review the implementation of the new system in Shrewsbury. During this review period visitors to the Princess Royal Hospital will continue to use the pay and display system, although the improved range of concessions and free parking will be introduced alongside the new tariff from Monday.
Chris Needham, Director of Estates and Facilities at the Trust, said: “We know that parking at local hospitals can be a frustrating experience and this is something we need to improve. To help us do this we are introducing a new Automatic Number Plate Recognition car parking management system, which will help to make more use of the parking spaces we have available for patients, visitors and members of staff.
“We are introducing a new tiered parking tariff to replace the current flat rate, which has remained unchanged for nearly eight years. Alongside this we are introducing an improved range of concessions to extend free parking to more long-term patients and to improve the cap on charges for regular visitors.”
ANPR works by recording your vehicle registration when you enter and exit the car parks offering people a variety of different ways to pay once their visit to the hospital is complete. This could be by using the onsite machines to pay by cash, debit or credit card. People can also choose to pay over the telephone or even online when they get home.
From 4 November 2013 the new tariff will be £2.50 for up to 2 hours, £3 for up to 5 hours and £3.50 for up to 24 hours.
