A HOSPITAL trust has seen an increase in the money collected from patients, visitors and staff for car parking, it has been revealed.

Figures collected via a Freedom of Information request show that East Lancashire Hospitals Trust saw money from parking charges go up from £100,021.47 in 2016/17 to £103,952.59 in 2017/18.

However money raised from parking fines during the same period has dropped from £25,121.80 in 2016/17 to £17,653.45 in 2017/18, according to the data obtained by the Press Association.

Glenn Harrison, lead convener for public service union UNISON and a Hyndburn councillor, said: “Car parking charges at hospitals are wrong and money raised for them is increasing as these figures show.

“These charges are a tax on the sick and should be scrapped.”

But the trust has not seen an increase in the prices it charges for car parking, with the standard car parking fee for patients and visitors of £1.90 for up to three hours being one of the lowest in the country and remaining the same for a number of years.

It comes as earlier this year the trust opened a new £1.6million 500-space car park on Old Bank Lane next to Royal Blackburn Hospital to improve parking for patients, visitors and staff.

In May, the trust also introduced parking charges for blue badge holders, which means that all hospitals in the region will charge disabled people the same to park as anyone else.

James Maguire, divisional director for estates and facilities at the trust, said: “We offer concessions and reimbursements for patients and visitors who need to attend hospital on a regular basis, for example people having chemotherapy.

“Trust employees benefit from subsidised parking charges and pay 61 pence per day to park on site at any of our hospitals.

“Surplus income from hospital car parking is reinvested to deliver safe, personal and effective services for NHS patients.”