Hospitals: Car Parking (Hansard, 22 March 1989)

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, because of the growth in car ownership it is not always possible to provide on site parking for everyone travelling to hospital by car. Where parking has to be restricted it is usually to ensure that routes used by emergency traffic are kept free and that there is access for sitting case ambulances, disabled drivers and priority staff cars.

The Earl of Selkirk
My Lords, I do not know whether my noble friend has read the North Report which specifically says that our economy and society depend overwhelmingly on the motor vehicle and the motor vehicle depends on having somewhere to stop and let its passengers out. Does the noble Lord really think that for a hospital with 600 beds and with a staff of perhaps 600 to 1,000, 600 parking places are enough? One has to allow too for persons to go daily to hospital to get treatment and for visitors to patients whom I am sure the noble Lord would welcome as being good for morale. Has the Minister gone into that question? Can the noble Lord say whether there is a limitation of money or has a direction been given by the Government?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, current guidance suggests a ratio of one parking place to every four beds increased to one to one where access is difficult due to the limited availability of public transport. Her Majesty's Government consider that this level of provision is sufficient to provide for patients who cannot visit hospital without a car; for example, the disabled, essential staff and some, but by no means all, visitors.

Lord Wallace of Coslany
My Lords, is the Minister aware that the imposition of parking charges at many hospitals is causing serious disruption and delay particularly to patients who are arriving? Is the Minister further aware that the situation at some hospitals is becoming very serious?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, where a health authority wishes to provide more parking than is advised, it may decide to recover some of the cost by charging. Differential charges can be made according to the status of the user: staff, patients and visitors. Staff who are required to use their cars to perform their duties—for example, district nurses—are exempted from charges.

§ Lord Ennals
My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that the site of the new Westminster and Chelsea Hospital to replace Westminster, St. Stephen's and three other London hospitals, is so overcrowded that it will not provide adequate parking for patients and staff when one considers the size of the hospital?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, in fact an underground car park is planned at the new Westminster and Chelsea Hospital with 300 spaces. That will be a ratio of 2.2 to 1. That level of provision is considered acceptable given the limited space available and accessibility to the hospital by public transport.

The Earl of Selkirk
My Lords, is parking at the new Charing Cross Hospital good enough? Has the noble Lord tried recently to park his car anywhere near there? I ask my noble friend to consider very carefully the situation of a hospital in Dorset with a staff of 1,300 people all of whom will want parking space. All young nurses will have cars by the year 2000. Does the noble Lord agree that it will be very difficult to increase parking space after the hospital has been built? It is something that has to be laid out at the very beginning. Will the noble Lord consider whether he is grossly underestimating the national requirement?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, I do not believe that I am. After the current redevelopment of a new mental illness unit at the Charing Cross Hospital, there will be a total of about 200 spaces, which will be a ratio of 3.3 to 1. There is very good public transport in that area. I agree with the noble Earl that it is very difficult to park in the area of the Charing Cross Hospital. I have done it myself.

Lord Wallace of Coslany
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that he said that district nurses can park free of charge? The point is that they and parsons, for instance, have to get a chit from a porter to take to the ticket barrier when they depart. That causes an enormous amount of delay even when the parking is free of charge.

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, it is a matter for each individual hospital. I do not believe that it is a matter for the Government to issue directives on the day-to-day operation of hospital car parks. Each hospital will have a unit general manager who is capable of taking decisions on the allocation of car parking space and how it should be operated.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, as regards some of the large car parks, if someone does not park absolutely correctly—I know of instances of disabled people to whom this applies—his car is wheel-clamped. When the clamp is put on or taken off it causes a great deal 683 of stress to other people as well. Can the Minister ask his right honourable friend if there is a possibility at the large car parks of having a car park superintendent to help and guide patients, staff and the disabled?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, that is again a matter for the hospitals. Clamping is available to hospitals as long as sufficient warning is given to the owner so that he knows that his car will be wheel-clamped and there is no damage to his car.

§ Lord Glenamara
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I recently had an appointment at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle? I was unable to find a parking place in the car park. I parked in a quiet street nearby and promptly got a ticket. So my visit cost me £12. It is a new hospital completed under this Government, with completely inadequate parking space. It is also built on a greenfield site. Will the Government look at this problem?

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, I am very sorry that the noble Lord acquired a parking ticket. He will know that in Newcastle the metro is available. I also know that the local authority in Newcastle is very anxious that people should use public transport if possible.

§ Lord Glenamara
My Lords, the metro is nowhere near the Freeman Hospital, which is built on a greenfield site outside the city. I gather that the noble Lord knows the area very well. He should be aware of that.

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, I do not know the Freeman Hospital, but I know Newcastle.

The Earl of Selkirk
My Lords, who makes the decision in these matters? Is it the Secretary of State; is it the region; or is it the district? If noble Lords want information, they can get it from all these sources; and it will differ from what the noble Lord is saying at the present time.

§ Lord Henley
My Lords, as I have stated, the Government have issued guidance, but it is then up to the district and the unit itself to decide how to run its own car parking.