The Greater Manchester hospital car park 'trapping patients' with huge number of fines doled out

A recent report has revealed that a Greater Manchester hospital trust, the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, made over £5.9 million from parking charges and fines in the past year. The Royal Oldham Hospital alone issued over 4,000 parking fines and generated £838,000 from parking fees. Local MP Jim McMahon pointed out that £2.2 million came from patients and visitors, while £1.2 million was from staff. Dr Zahid Chauhan raised concerns about insufficient parking spaces for staff, with over 1,700 without a guaranteed spot despite permits. The hospital has only 336 visitor spaces and lacks A&E priority parking. Safety issues were highlighted, with multiple incidents in parking areas and a lack of risk assessments for staff safety at night. A campaign led by Dr Chauhan is pushing for better parking facilities, including a multi-storey car park. The hospital trust expressed recognition of the parking challenges and is considering improvements, including better access and sustainable travel options. MP McMahon emphasised that charging for parking at hospitals should be reconsidered, especially as the site expands.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News