Decision on parking fees at Christchurch Hospital
27 March 2008
A compromise has been reached on the decision to increase fees at the Christchurch Public Hospital car park.
Councillors voted today to increase fees in the public parking building to $1.10 a half hour, making them the same as other Council car parking buildings and inline with charges set down in the Long-term Council Community Plan.
However fees for parking on hospital site fees will only rise from 75 cents to 80 cents per half hour, much less than initial proposals.
On-site parking will be restricted to patients and visitors only and there will be a time restriction of 120 minutes. Specifically designated staff parking on the site will remain.
In emergency situations, patients and families who are forced to exceed parking limits in the hospital site will be able to seek relief from the Council on compassionate grounds.
Car parking charges in the building will be capped at $17 a day. Patients and families who are high or long-term users of the parking can still apply to the Canterbury District Health Board for a Council-funded parking concession as is currently available.
City Environment General Manager Jane Parfitt says parking charges at Christchurch Hospital are comparable with those in other centres.
“In Auckland, charges are $3 for the first hour increasing to $17 for a day,’’ she says. “The Wellington Hospital car park charges are $3 an hour, increasing to $8 for over four hours. Dunedin Hospital does not have its own car park.
“We believe the proposed changes are a compromise which benefits patients and visitors while fitting in with the fees which were previously set in the LTCCP,’’ Mrs Parfitt says.
“We have been in consultation with the CDHB and realise some hospital staff will not be happy with the proposal, but the CDHB provides a dedicated staff car park in close proximity. It is not the Council’s responsibility to provide parking for hospital staff rather to ensure public access to the hospital.’’
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