DISABLED drivers will lose their free parking concessions from October 1 at Guildford’s Royal Surrey County Hospital.

The introduction of hospital parking charges for blue badge holders, shocked members of South West Surrey Disabled Alliance Network (DAN), who objected there had been no prior consultation with groups representing the disabled community.

From October 1, blue badge holders will pay a discounted flat rate of £4 per visit, which is the parking fee charged to the trust’s long-term oncology patients.

The trust said it will work with blue badge holders to ensure drivers on “certain benefits or on a low income” will be exempt.

Announcing the charges, Alf Turner, director of human resources and business support, said: “In an ideal world we would not have to charge anyone for car parking, however the Royal Surrey, like all NHS hospitals, is faced with having to make difficult decisions at a time when budgets are under pressure and demand is increasing.

“Our priority remains to deliver the very best patient care and outcomes and we need to make sure we can continue to invest in this. As such, we work to ensure that all NHS funding and income that we are given is invested solely towards this purpose and not diverted to other areas, such as car parking.

“I would like to take this opportunity to stress that any patient, carer or visitor, who is entitled to free parking will have their fee reimbursed.

“The trust’s executive team has thought long and hard before making this decision, but running and maintaining our car parking facilities is incredibly expensive. The revenue from car parking is used to provide and maintain our car parks and any additional income is put back into patient care.”

South West Surrey DAN chairman David Beaman said: “We were shocked to hear of the decision. As with Waverley Borough Council, there has been no consultation with groups representing the disabled community.

“We shall be seeking an urgent meeting as soon as possible with Royal Surrey to discuss these proposals, which have failed to take account of all the issues raised by the implementation of such charges.”

Nick Marwick, co-chairman Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, also protested: “This is part of a constant attack on hard won rights of disabled people.

“Waverley Borough Council recently attempted to charge for disabled parking in council car parks but have had to review the decision due to not considering all the negative issues involved.”