Four in 10 NHS hospitals in England have increased car parking prices in the last year, new data suggests.
A total of 124 of the 152 trusts running hospitals responded to Freedom of Information requests by the Press Association, with 53 saying prices had gone up for visitors or staff, or both.
Some trusts had doubled the cost of certain stays for visitors in 2017-18.
Several hospitals defended the charges, saying some or all of it goes back into patient care or maintaining car parks.
But unions said some staff were having to pay "through the nose" to park at work.
Tax on the sick'
Data published by NHS Digital in October shows NHS trusts made more than £226m from parking fees, including penalty fines, in the last financial year.
The PA analysis highlighted:
- A stay of four to 24 hours at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust in West Yorkshire now costing £8, up from £3.50, with a £5 fee for two to four hours, up from £3
- An overhaul of charges at Shrewsbury and Telford hospital that has seen the cost of a five-hour stay more than double since October 2017 to £8
- Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool's scrapping a £2 flat rate
- Lancashire Teaching Hospitals doubling the costs of a four-to-six hour stay to £6, while lowering the cost of a one-hour stay from £3 to £2.50
- Frimley Health in Surrey being one of the highest earning trusts in England from parking, making £4.5m and raising costs in the last two financial years
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