A PETITION has been launched to put the squeeze on "excessive" parking charges at Hereford County Hospital.

Last week the Hereford Times revealed that parking charges at the hospital - already among the highest in the county - are due to go up again before 2016.

Cash-strapped Wye Valley NHS Trust (WVT) has ruled out out a return to subsidising parking costs imposed by its PFI partners Mercia Healthcare and Sodexo.

Management of the car park is sub-contracted to Car Parking Plus on a 10-year term signed off in 2006.

Income from car-parking does not directly contribute to the Trust's finances.

WVT does not directly manage the car parks or the contract that covers the running of them, and therefore income from car parking fees do not directly contribute to the Trust’s finances.

This week the Trust put available parking concessions into profile as an alternative.

Circumstances covered by current concessions include:

• When there have been delays to treatment at the hospital

• When carers/parents of children have to stay at the hospital over-night

• When multiple visits to the hospital are made in one week

• For patients and escorts using the hospital travel cost scheme

• For patients in receipt of approved benefits The Trust says staff on the hospital’s reception desks have been "fully briefed" on what concessions are available.

A new petition, launched by community campaigner Amanda Attfield, calls for the "monopoly" charges to be cut.

The petition can be found at http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-excessive-car-parking-charges-at-hospitals.