New £1 coin still no use at Shropshire hospital car parks
Drivers are still unable to pay for parking using the new £1 coin at Shropshire’s two main hospitals, despite it being introduced in March.
Visitors to the car parks at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital have been frustrated that the machines used to pay for parking still do not accept the new £1 coin.
Hospital bosses said they hope to update their parking machines by May 30.
In the meantime, staff in the parking booths are keeping a float of old £1 coins to assist patients who only have the new 12-sided coin.
Julia Clarke, director of corporate governance at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), said: “We are working closely with the supplier of our parking machines to ensure they are upgraded to accept the new £1 coin as quickly as possible.
“The upgrades are expected to be completed across all of our sites by the week commencing Tuesday, May 30.
“In the meantime staff in the parking booths are keeping a float of old £1 coins to assist patients who only have the new 12-sided coin.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
“Payment can also be made on-line up to midnight on the day of the visit to the hospital site by logging on to SaTH’s website sath.nhs.uk.
“Payment at the machines can also be made using a bank card.
“People are able to park at our hospitals for up to 30 minutes without charge.
“We encourage patients to take advantage of this by, when appropriate, getting dropped off so not to occur any charge.
“Parking charges at SaTH are among the lowest in the country, with it costing just £3.50 for five hours or more.
“Patients receiving dialysis, radiotherapy or chemotherapy and people visiting hospital for issues connected with bereavement are able to park for free.
“Anyone needing to attend hospital regularly can buy a discounted 10-visit ticket for £8.
“Forms for the discounted 10-visit ticket can be obtained from the ward, one of the parking booths and on our website.”
Early teething problems hampered the launch of the new £1 design, including incompatibility with coin-operated machines and shopping trolleys.
However Telford & Wrekin Council spent just over £4,000 preparing machines for the new £1 coin and Shropshire Council spent £30,000.
Powys County Council said it planned to replace rather than adapt more than 60 ticket machines, which will be able accept the new £1 coin, before the old coin is phased out in October.
The old coin and the new coin will co-exist together for a period of around six months, until the round pound ceases to be legal tender on October 15.
