Royal Preston Hospital hikes cost of parking for patients and visitors

From 8am on Wednesday, November 15, the cost of parking at both sites will increase by nearly 10% due to rising inflation, said Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.

It means the cost for one-hour and two-hour visits will increase by 30p to £2.80 and £3.80 respectfully, while the cost of a three-hour visit will be 50p more expensive at £6.

It will cost an extra 70p to park for five-hours while the prices for 30 minute, 24-hour and weekly stays remain unchanged.

It is the first increase in parking costs at either hospital since 2018 and Trust bosses said the new rates are due to rising inflation. The Trust said it has subsidised car parking revenues at both Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley Hospital for the past five years in an effort to avoid hiking prices.

The Trust added that it was initially advised to increase prices by 20% – to match the general rise in inflation – but opted to reduce prices by just 10% to lessen the impact on visitors struggling with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

New parking prices

30 mins - no change, still free

1 hour - was £2.50, now £2.80

2 hours - was £3.50, now £3.80

3 hours – was £5.50, now £6

5 hours - was £8, now £8.70

24 hours - no change, still £10

Weekly - no change, still £30

A spokesperson for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals said: “As a result of a new national policy on Car Parking Concessions introduced by the Department of Health in 2022, plus the rising cost of general inflation, the Trust now needs to increase patient parking permit charges with effect from 8am on 15 November 2023.

“Patient parking charges at the Trust have not been increased since 2018, and over that period general inflation has increased by 20%, with the Trust having subsidised car parking revenues over this period.

“Due to this, patient parking permit charges will be uplifted by 9.5%, resulting in an increase of payments from this date.

"We recognise that our patients, visitors and community have many competing challenges, and we are currently experiencing a cost-of-living crisis, so this rate has been significantly reduced from the suggested 20% which would match the rise in inflation.”