Most expensive NHS car parks revealed: Where does Luton & Dunstable Hospital rank?
New research has revealed the cheapest and most expensive NHS car parks across East Anglia but how is Luton faring?
Interestingly, the analysis – from Fast Loan UK – has shown when it comes to paying for hospital parking, it can be something of a lottery for patients, visitors and staff.
Using publicly available NHS parking tariff data from NHS trust websites across the UK, the team discovered that while some of us have to shell out the pennies, other hospital car parks offer FREE PARKING.
Luton & Dunstable Hospital is the 4th most expensive hospital car park in the east, charging £14.40 for a 24-hour stay.
Drop off and up to 15 minutes = free
Up to 30 minutes = £2
Up to 1 hour = £3.30
Up to 2 hours = £4.80
Up to 3 hours = £6
Up to 5 hours = £7.80
Up to 6 hours = £9.60
Up to 7 hours = £12.60
Perhaps more surprisingly, two trusts – Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust – choose not to charge motorists at all.
Joe Brunt, consumer finance expert at Fast Loan UK, said: "Hospital parking is something many people don't think about until they need it, but the costs can quickly add up for patients attending regular appointments or relatives visiting loved ones.
"Unlike a trip to the shops or a day out, hospital visits are rarely optional. When people are already dealing with illness, treatment, or caregiving responsibilities, having to factor in parking charges can add stress and expense.
"This postcode lottery means two people accessing healthcare can face very different costs depending on where they live.
"It's also worth noting that NHS hospital parking is free in Scotland and Wales, which makes the variation in parking costs across England even more striking, particularly at a time when many households are looking to keep essential expenses under control."
A spokesman for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Hourly car parking charges at our hospitals are comparable with nearby acute hospital trusts and reflect the significant demand for a limited number of parking spaces on our sites. The trusts mentioned as offering free parking are community and mental health providers, which operate in a very different way to large acute hospitals.
“The £14.40 charge applies to a 24-hour stay and is rarely used, while most patients and visitors pay considerably less depending on the length of their visit.
“We also offer concessionary car parking, which extends beyond the national mandatory parking concessions, for patients, visitors and carers in greatest need.”