The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts insisted the price hike had been put off “for as long as possible”
10:08, 04 Jul 2025Updated 13:11, 04 Jul 2025
Parking fees have been increased at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital, with Walsall Manor Hospital to follow suit on July 21.
Patients and visitors at three Midlands hospitals will now have to pay up to £1 more to use the car parks.
The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts insisted the price hike had been put off “for as long as possible”.
However the “slight increases” were being introduced in line with other rising costs it had to meet.
Parking fees were raised at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital on Tuesday, July 1.
Charges will increase from Monday, July 21, at Walsall Manor Hospital.
The new charges can be seen below:
- 0-1 hour – £3.50 (20p increase)
- 1-2 hours -£4.50 (20p increase)
- 2-3 hours – £5 (20p increase)
- 3-4 hour -£6 (20p increase)
- 4-5 hours – £6.30 (50p increase)
- 5-7 hours – £7 (£1 increase)
- 8-24 hours – £10 (new tariff)
The additional money raised will be put back into The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts.
Fees will continue to be waived for anyone using the car parks for 15 minutes or less.
Disabled parking will also remain free of charge, with concessionary passes available for patients undergoing regular treatment such as chemotherapy.
Number plate recognition (ANPR) is used across all of the hospital car parks.
In a joint statement, Will Roberts, chief operating officer at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and Gwen Nuttall, managing director at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “We appreciate any increase is going to affect people using our services and we have avoided doing this for as long as possible.
“But we do have to introduce these slight increases in line with other costs that are rising that the trust has to meet.
“We are still offering free parking for people with disabilities and concessions for patients who require lengthy or regular courses of treatment as well as parents whose babies are being cared for on our Neonatal Unit.
“The income raised goes back into the trust and, acting on feedback, we are improving our car parks by looking at how we can offer app payment for example.
“Our teams also offer many more phone and video consultations, where appropriate, so fewer patients are having to travel and incur charges.
“This is also having an effect on our clinics meaning those for whom a face to face appointment is necessary are having shorter waits and report a more efficient service.”