'We shouldn't have to pay so much to park at the hospital we work at'

Staff at hospitals across Sheffield have called for more support with the high cost of parking near their workplaces.

On-site parking at the Northern General recently increased from £4 a day to £7 - a 75% rise.

While at the city's children's hospital, there is no dedicated staff parking and workers instead pay nearly £30 for a nearby Q-Park.

Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the Northern General, Royal Hallamshire, Weston Park and Jessop Wing, said assistance, including subsidised permits, was available for some staff.

A Change.org petition set up by Northern General nurse Silvia Larcombe against the fee increase already has 1,800 signatures.

Larcombe pointed out that the staff car park was poorly maintained and lacked CCTV and adequate lighting.

The trust said that the recent price increase was the first in its car parks for three years.

Andrew Jones, facilities director at the trust, said: "Staff can apply for subsidised parking with permits graded by salary band.

"This means colleagues earning lower salaries pay less."

Other support offered includes personalised travel plans, free night shift parking and a free shuttle bus between sites.

Jones added that surplus income was invested in patient services.

Jessica Ryder is an A&E nurse a Sheffield Children's Hospital, which is in a city centre location and has only a small car park with 26 spaces available for patients' families.

Instead, Ryder and her colleagues use the Q-Park on Durham Street, which charges £26.50 per day.

She said that the private car park was "a lot of money" for staff working daytime shifts, and that many needed their car for nursery and school runs before work.

Although the Royal Hallamshire Hospital is nearby, it is run by a different trust so reciprocal parking arrangements for staff do not apply.

"So a lot of staff have to pay full whack. It's just madness," she said.

The children's hospital's estates director, Peter Knowles, said: "We understand the frustration around parking and recognise this can be a challenge for many colleagues and families.

"As a city centre site with very limited space, on-site parking is prioritised for patients and families; while we do not have a dedicated staff car park at the hospital, we continue to support free staff parking where available on other sites and promote public transport, whilst seeking subsidised rates with local providers where possible."

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