Health authorities face increasing demand for parking and pressure on space at hospitals. There is a trend to a greater emphasis on managing parking and traffic access at hospitals and considering the introduction of parking charges. Studies of the demand for parking at five UK hospitals are compared and a method developed for analysing existing demand and forecasting future demand. The five hospitals are: John Radcliffe, Oxford; The Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford; Southampton General; Princess Anne, Southampton; and Royal Hampshire, Winchester. This method embraces hospital development plans and any switch from in-patient to day care of patients. Supply and income generation issues are ussed. A range of approaches exist for managing demand and supplying satisfactory access for hospital staff, patients, visitors, the disabled, goods and emergency vehicles. Traffic management and parking equipment alternatives offer Health Authorities options for managing existing demand and providing for development plans. Charging for parking space raises several management policy issues and the paper sets out an approach to ensure that the policy is seen as fair and reasonable by all users of the hospital. The impact of the introduction of charges at a hospital in Southern England is presented as a case study.
Abstract