RUH car park rings changes
New payment machines and more payment options will be on offer at the RUH under a new operating company.
Saba UK has taken over responsibility for parking at the hospital trust and will oversee replacement of all pay stations with what are said to be new, easier to use machines and added payment options.
New barriers will be introduced in the main patient and visitor car park to improve traffic flow and give people the option to pay before they leave.
Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will log the time a vehicle has entered the car park. On leaving, visitors enter their car registration number into a payment machine to find out how much they need to pay.
Parking for blue badge holders will remain free. Free parking will remain in place for those patient groups who need to make frequent visits to the RUH.
Parking charges have been frozen at £2 for the first hour. Two hours’ parking will rise from £3 to £3.30 and it will now cost £4.80 to park for three hours, an increase of 80p.
This is the first time parking charges have increased in 10 years, said the hospital.
Brian Johnson, director of estates and facilities, said: “We’re confident that the new infrastructure provided by our contractor will really improve the experience of visiting the hospital site.
“While we understand that nobody likes an increase in parking charges, it has been 10 years since the RUH last increased its parking fees and we have made every effort to keep price rises to a minimum.
“Paid parking ensures a regular turnover of spaces for patients and visitors and discourages people who are not using the hospital from parking there all day and commuting into the city centre.
“Money raised will be used to cover the cost of the car parking contract as well as maintenance, lighting and staffing costs. The model is not designed to raise profit but any additional money that is raised will go back to the RUH.”
You can find out more information about parking costs and ways to pay on the Saba UK website: www.sabaparking.co.uk/royalunited-hospitals-bath-nhs-foundation-trust.