A PETITION has been set up opposing the new parking charges which have been introduced at hospitals across Wirral.

Previously visitors to both Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospital would pay £3.20 for up to 3.5 hours with a charge of £10.00 for anything over that duration. 

Under the new charges, visitors will be charged £3.20 for parking for between 30 minutes and two hours, £4.50 for between two hours and four hours, £5.50 for between fours and six hours, £7.00 for between six hours to 12 hours and £10.00 for up to 24 hours.

READ: New parking charges brought in at Wirral hospitals

Since the changes, a petition by Wirral resident Steven Lamb titled “Free parking for NHS workers at Arrowe Park” has been set up. Steven, whose partner is an NHS staff member, said many staff members are unable to afford the parking costs due to the cost of living crisis.

He said: “Recently Arrowe Park Hospital added a charge to all NHS staff to park whilst they work, it is costing the average NHS staff member around £200 a month and with the cost of living right now I have had many messages from people who work at the hospitals since setting up the petition saying they just can't afford this, my girlfriend being one of them. It is disgusting and if anyone should have free parking it should be the core of our community.”

In the petition, which has been signed by more than 2,000 people, Steven adds: “NHS staff are the core of our community and should not have to pay to go to work. We go to work to earn not pay. Especially to the ones who are saving our lives each and every day.”

On September 6, a spokesperson for Wirral University Hospital told the Globe that car parking charges for staff had "not changed" and that the changes "relate to patient and visitor car parks only".

READ: Wirral hospital staff urged to apply for access fobs ahead of new parking charges

Although these changes were only made to the patient and visitor car parks, a number of staff, who do not have car parking fobs for the staff car park, have routinely been using the patient and visitor car parks when travelling to work.

A spokesperson for Wirral University and Teaching Hospital said: “It is this aspect that gives rise to the incorrect claim that staff are having to pay £10 a day to park. The £10 relates to the 24-hour rate charge for patient and visitor parking only.”

The Trust have also said they have asked staff to apply for parking permits and access fobs, rather than using patient car parks in order to access staff spaces at both the hospital sites.

Criteria for a permit and car park access fob considers staff individual needs such as a requirement to regularly leave the work base, whether a staff member lives within a one-mile walking distance to the hospitals, parental responsibilities, medical conditions and ability to use public transport, car share, walk or cycle. In a recent survey carried out with staff by the hospital, the majority favoured keeping the current criteria for staff car parking.

A spokesperson for Wirral University Teaching Hospital added: “It is incorrect that staff are being charged £10.00 a day to park. Car parking charges for staff have not changed. Arrangements introduced from September 4, 2023, relate to the patient and visitor car parks only.

“These changes to patient and visitor car parking do not involve staff. We have increased the spaces available to staff across our hospital sites. Staff car parking charges are subsidised, with staff car parking spaces allocated on set criteria. We have asked our staff to continue to apply for parking permits and access fobs, rather than using patient and visitor car parks. This is important to ensure that car park spaces are available for patients and visitors.

“Staff working night shifts continue to access free car parking as per NHS guidance. Access to staff parking at weekends and evenings with a fob is unlimited.”

However, many staff members have been left frustrated at the system stating that they have struggled to apply for the fobs due to the Trust having a “strict criteria”.

One staff member said: “It is so insulting to all staff who have been refused fobs.

"It’s not as easy to apply for one as they are making out and this criteria of theirs is so strict they definitely do not consider individual needs.

"So many staff myself included meet elements of the criteria and have been refused them with so many staff now worrying about where to park for work.

"They claim to take into account parental responsibilities when it comes to issuing fobs and that is definitely not the case.”