Malvern Community Hospital to introduce car parking fees

Malvern homeowners who live near the town's community hospital fear drivers will block them in to avoid the new fee.

The fees will be introduced at Malvern Community Hospital and will cost users between £2.50 and £4 although stays for those using the car park for less than 30 minutes will remain free. 

The move comes barely a month after West Midlands Railway increased its fees for using the car park at Malvern Link Railway Station from £1.10 to £3.50, a jump of more than 300%.

Jude Green a councillor at Malvern Town Council has called the move another body blow and a double whammy, as the issue of street parking in the area, which is already a big point of contention, is bound to increase. 

She said: "My first reaction was yes, in the first instance it is yet another body blow to patients but also a double whammy to residents because you know what people are going to do. 

"The station has recently increased its prices and now the hospital is going to add fees, it's inevitably going to lead to more street parking which is already an issue in the area. 

"People are getting hit from all sides and it's just not fair."

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said that fees would be reintroduced from October 14th after they were paused during the covid-19 pandemic. 

Parking for up to two hours will cost drivers £2.50, up to four hours will cost £3.50 and stays for longer than four hours will cost £4.

Parking for blue badge holders in designated spaces will remain free.

Councillor Green continued: "The issue of street parking is particularly bad on Somers Road where many residents struggle to get out of their own drive. 

"But I think residents will be particularly concerned because people from across Malvern use the hospital and many of them have to drive. 

"Lots of people already park on the street instead of paying and this is only going to make it worse. 

"It's yet another price increase that people can do without."