Hospital car parks turn annual profit of £1.9m

A hospital trust in North Yorkshire collected more than £2.2m from staff, patient and visitor parking charges last year.

Between 2023 and 2024, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust made a £1.9m profit from its car parks.

It increased charges at both sites in the two years leading up to March 2024, due to the installation of automatic number plate registration technology.

The trust said it had not been funded to provide free parking and without charging fees, money would need to be taken away from other essential services.

A spokesperson added: "The revenue from car parking supports the running and maintenance of the car park, and also security on the site. 

"Income from car park charges is also invested in improving car park facilities and alternatives to car use."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said that in Scarborough, one hour's parking increased by 25p to £1.45 and two hours increased by 40p to £2.90.

In York, up to one hour increased by 30p to £2.50, with a 60p increase for two hours to £5.

In 2023-24, the cost of parking services to the trust was £364,000, covering more than 2,400 available spaces.

Staff parking charges amounted to more than £200,000 and it earned £2m from patient and visitor parking charges.

Last year, the Patients Association charity criticised increased parking charges for "unfairly penalising people simply for being unwell and needing access to essential healthcare".

A trust spokesperson emphasised that its parking charges reflected those charged in local council-run car parks.

They added there were "a large number of concessions" available for people who were visiting regularly or for long periods of time.

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