Patients and visitors at West Suffolk Hospital will be asked to pay 10p more to park for up to two hours following the annual review of car parking on the site.

The revised charges will be introduced on 1 June by VINCI Park Services UK Ltd, which took over management of the hospital’s car parks in 2006. Charges are reviewed annually as part of the contract, which provides the hospital with an income of more than £500,000 each year to spend directly on patient care.

As a result of the review, the cost of parking for up to two hours will increase from £2.90 to £3, while staying for two to four hours will cost £4.40 compared with the previous fee of £4.20.

“We appreciate that car parking charges can cause concern to some of our patients and visitors,” said Jan Bloomfield, director of workforce and communications.

“As such, we will continue to provide free drop off points and offer discounts to those with special circumstances. Wherever possible, we would also encourage people to explore public transport and other alternatives for accessing the hospital site.” 

A total of 20 free, short stay “drop-off” points are available on site for people visiting for up to 20 minutes. There are also dedicated spaces available for disabled drivers, as well as cancer and dialysis patients using the Macmillan and renal units at the rear of the site.

In addition, patients and visitors with special circumstances, or those attending for long term treatment, are encouraged to check with ward staff to see if they are eligible for a concessionary permit.