Shropshire hospital parking fees to double for top doctors

Bosses hope the move will free up parking spaces - particularly at Telford's Princess Royal, which they say is full to bursting and will have more pressure put on it when the new Women and Children's Centre opens later this year.

They are encouraging staff to car share or seek alternative methods of transport to get to work.

Highest-earning members of staff, including consultants and surgeons, currently pay £10 a month to park but will now be asked to fork out £25.

For the lowest-earners, it will stay the same at £7.50 per month. The middle ranks will see their monthly permits rise in price from £7.50 to £15.

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The increase was agreed by members of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust board at a meeting held at Princess Royal yesterday.

The trust's workforce director Victoria Maher admitted it was a very "emotive subject" for staff.

"For our staff they see this as a hike," she said. "For our staff it feels like another impact on their disposable income and something that is very personal.

"The high earners are facing a more significant increase, and it is high earners generally that have objected more than low earners.

"We have looked at car parking charges across the West Midlands and the charges are estimated to release around 90 car parking spaces, which would make a significant difference at the Princess Royal Hospital."

Trust chief executive Peter Herring said: "This is a very significant issue facing the trust. We must introduce measures to restrict and deter parking.

"We must also appreciate the sensitivity of the issue.

"An increase in staff parking charges will have an adverse reaction which we have already experienced in no uncertain terms."

But Mr Herring said even the most expensive permit - at £25 a month - only worked out to just over £1 per day.

"There isn't another facility anywhere that is that cheap," he said.

"It's the same if not better than anywhere else in the West Midlands and I would say it is well below the national average.

"In Liverpool the high earners pay £40 a month."

Trust chairman Peter Latchford said he was "in a bit of a quandary" about the proposals.

He said he was worried asking staff to pay for monthly permits would encourage rather than discourage them from driving to work.

"They will think 'we have paid, we may as well use it'," he said.

But board members voted to approve the increase, which will come into force from August this year.

• See also: Shropshire hospitals see huge increase in A&E admissions