PLANS to ban parking charges at hospitals across Northern Ireland have been put on hold it was confirmed this week.
Hospital car parks across the region were set to go charge-free this May, following legislation passed in 2022, but the “severe financial pressure” the NHS is under has now seen this date postponed.
This week Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed the delay, confirming “this is not an indefinite deferral”.
The Minister has introduced a Hospital Parking Charges Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which, if approved, will allow the Hospital Parking Charges Act (NI) 2022 to be delayed for up to three years.
“The Bill is being introduced in the context of the severe financial pressures facing the health and social care system and to ensure the prioritisation of funding for frontline services,” a spokesperson for Minister Nesbitt’s department explained.
The Bill enables the Department of Health to set a new date for the 2022 Act to come into operation for when hospital car parking charges to be abolished.
Under the new legislation that date must be no later than May 12, 2029, and “potentially sooner if the financial circumstances allow” the department explained.
“Health and Social Care Trusts have been working over the past four years to implement the Hospital Parking Charges (NI) Act 2022,” Minister Nesbitt explained.
“The necessary infrastructure is expected to be in place, and the Act is currently due to commence on 12 May 2026.
“However, the Department of Health is facing unprecedented funding challenges in the coming years.
“The removal of car parking charges would result in lost revenue of approximately £7 million per annum.”
He added: “If the Act comes into operation as planned, this will reduce the funding available for the delivery of frontline Health and Social Care services in 2026/27 and beyond, at a time when a significant funding gap is already anticipated.
“Ordinarily, primary legislation should undergo full Assembly scrutiny, with the Committee Stage forming a key element of this process.
“However, in this case, compelling grounds exist for using accelerated passage to minimise the risk of charges being abolished temporarily and then reintroduced.”
Minister Nesbitt said the removal of hospital parking charges will go ahead, when the “time is right”.
“I am clear that this is not an indefinite deferral,” he said.
“It remains my intention that charges should be removed when the time is right.
“That is why the Bill also stipulates that the revised operational date must be no later than May 12, 2029, representing a maximum delay of three years.”