MK Hospital News: New Car Park Entry and Exit Barrier System |
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27th August 2008 A new entry and exit barrier system, with pay-on-foot parking, will be in place at Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust from 1st September 2008. The new system means that parking is free for up to 15 minutes in all of the Trust’s car parks, to allow for the drop-off and picking-up of patients and visitors. Car parking charges remain the same. Daily rates are £2.00 for up to 4 hours, and £3.50 for all day parking. Weekly permits are available for long-term visitors, which offer a discount. All the new pay stations take coins, bank notes and a range of bank and credit cards, and give change. The 'pay-on-foot' system means that a ticket will be issued on entering the car park. Before leaving, the fee will need to be paid at one of the pay machines. This will validate the ticket to allow exit from the car park. The pay machines can be found outside between the main entrance and the A&E Department, outside the Treatment Centre, adjacent to rear entrance of the hospital, and the multi storey car park. Milton Keynes is a growing city, and car parking facilities have increased and improved hand-in-hand with hospital growth. The Trust recently invested £7.5 million in a new four-storey (1,000 space) car park, which is ensuring that visitors, patients and staff can park easily. Disabled parking facilities at the Trust have also expanded over recent years. Any income from parking charges is used to improve hospital security and maintain the parking facilities available, or is directly invested back into patient care. Parking charges will continue to be waived for those who attend the Macmillan Unit (cancer patients), and for dialysis patients. Free parking, via a permit, will still be available to the parents of children with cancer and hospital volunteers. Disabled Blue Badge holders continue to be exempt from parking charges. Dedicated disabled parking is offered outside the Trust’s Outpatients Department, A&E and adjacent to rear entrance of the hospital. Disabled parking permit holders may also park in any visitor car park. On the presentation of a Blue Badge to the main reception, a card will be issued to allow people to use the exit barriers without paying. Bob Heavisides, Director of Facilities at Milton Keynes Hospital, said: The new system is easier for the public to use than the older machines, and allows for more flexibility regarding the type of payment used. The new pay on foot system enables visitors and patients to use cards or cash, without worrying about having the correct change. Charging for car parking remains standard practice across England. Milton Keynes Hospital has well priced car parking facilities compared with other hospitals in the area, and the facilities that we offer are amongst the best in the country. The hospital has been working with Milton Keynes Council to improve the facilities for buses on the hospital site, such as new bus stops, better pull-in facilities and improved pavements for pedestrians. The hospital is well served by local bus routes. A team of in-house security staff patrol the hospital site to help prevent car crime, and provide advice to motorists. Milton Keynes Hospitals Information |