Hospital parking cap introduced

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A cap has been placed on the amount hospitals in the Glasgow area can charge for parking.

A £3 maximum charge per day has been introduced after a review of parking fees, ordered by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, issued new guidance.

Car parks at Gartnavel, Yorkhill, the Western and the Victoria were charging up to £7 per day before the move.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said most patients and visitors would pay £1 for parking for less than two hours.

Alex McIntyre, director of facilities for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "Since the national guidance was issued a number of people have worked extremely hard to ensure the maximum charge of £3 was introduced as quickly as possible.

"That has now been achieved and, as from Sunday, anyone visiting our hospitals for more than four hours will pay a maximum of £3."

'Excessive charges'

The new guidance on parking charges at hospitals applies across Scotland.

The expert panel which issued the guidance was formed after protests from health workers and unions over the introduction of a new charging regime in the Glasgow area.

Ms Sturgeon said visitors and staff should be protected from unnecessary or excessive charges.

The health secretary's intervention in September was the second time in a year that hospital parking charges had come under top-level scrutiny.

In February 2007, the then First Minister Jack McConnell told NHS bosses to reconsider charging arrangements after he was taken to task by angry nurses at a public meeting in Glasgow.

NHS bosses in Glasgow then cut the maximum daily parking charge from £12 to £7.