Fury at prospect of rise in Princess Royal Hospital parking fees

The prospect of higher parking fees at the Princess Royal Hospital has sparked outrage from parish councillors.

Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council, which covers PRH, all voted in favour of writing to the chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust to tell him of their concerns.

At a public meeting in Shrewsbury last week, trust chief executive Adam Cairns said plans were being developed to introduce a pay-on-exit system at the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal hospitals.

Councillor Ron Plenderleith said: "I am vehemently opposed to the rise in parking charges, and after the council meeting it's clear that so are my fellow councillors.

"Not a single councillor was against it. It is a tax on the sick and is absolute nonsense."

At last week's meeting Mr Cairns said: "We want this year to invest in some new car parking technology. We want pay-on-exit. New technology does cost money.

"We haven't raised prices for five years. We haven't formed a final view on that but prices will go up."

It is believed that the prices could rise by as much as 50 per cent on the current daily charge of £2.

Councillor Plenderleith said: " I don't think we should pay at all – if it went to the hospital then OK, but it doesn't."

In 2010/11, visitors and patients spent £1,314,035 to park at the two hospitals.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the NHS Trust kept £787,358, while the firm that runs the parks, CP Plus, took £546,776.

Councillor Plenderleith added: "I had to go to the hospital last week for an emergency and, while the parking charges are always on the back of your mind – you don't need it."