LETTERS to the EDITOR

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or of the BDRA. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience arising from error or omission                                                                                                   

 Dear Editor 

Basildon Hospital Car Park Charges 

Recently there have been repeated calls for us to scrap our car parking charges and I am writing to explain why we can’t do that.

Five years ago when the public were consulted about our intention to become a Foundation Trust, car parking was one of the priorities local people asked us to invest in.  When we became a Foundation Trust, we borrowed the money to build a new multi-story car park, which cost £8.5 million. 

Income from parking pays back the loan and funds the maintenance of the car parks across the two hospital sites, and associated security. The Trust is also required to pay VAT and other taxes back to the Treasury.  Any remaining money above these costs is put back directly into patient care.  

The public money we receive is for treating patients.  We firmly believe the car park must pay for itself.  Another factor is that we are not far from the station; if parking was free, the car park could be filled by commuters, preventing patients and visitors from finding parking spaces. 

We have tried to make parking fair and affordable and, in fact, many people pay nothing.  Some 14,000 patients and visitors every month are taking advantage of the 45-minute free parking, which was introduced when the multi-storey opened.  There is no charge for spaces for people with disabilities.  And there are concessionary rates for patients and visitors who need to come regularly; in the last six months, passes for almost 3,000 days of free parking have been issued. 

Yours sincerely

Jenny Galpin
Director of Projects and Facilities
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital Trust NHS