Patients and visitors will soon have more ways to pay for parking at Sherwood Forest Hospitals.
A new Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) visitor parking system is set to go live at King’s Mill Hospital and Mansfield Community Hospital on Thursday, 14 November, and at Newark Hospital on Friday, 15 November.
The ticketless system aims to improve traffic flow in and out of car parks and ensure both visitors and employees park in designated areas, helping to ease parking difficulties.
With ANPR, vehicle registration plates are scanned by cameras on arrival, and payment is made before leaving the car park. No physical ticket is provided.
Payment machines at all three hospitals will accept cash, card, and contactless payments. Motorists are advised to note their vehicle registration if paying by machine. Additionally, people can pay via the Trust app, which can be downloaded from their smartphone’s app store.
Richard Mills, Chief Financial Officer overseeing Estates and Facilities at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said:
“We hope the introduction of ANPR will improve vehicle movement on site by providing a quicker entrance and exit at our car parks.
“The new system will make it easier for patients and visitors by offering more ways to pay, which is particularly good news at Newark Hospital, where coins have been the only method of payment.
“We know spaces are limited and parking can be challenging at times, so we are grateful for everyone’s support and patience as we continue to improve our car parking arrangements.”
The pricing structure has changed to align visitor parking charges with other Trusts in the region and includes a free 30-minute drop-off period, up from 15 minutes.
There are also drop-off zones outside the main entrance at all hospitals and the Emergency Department at King’s Mill Hospital, where visitors can park for 10 minutes.
Free or reduced-price parking remains in place for various patient groups, including free parking for Blue Badge holders. Regular Blue Badge visitors are encouraged to register their Blue Badge by creating an account at https://nexusplatform.co.uk and using the invitation code BH2F8HJ. Alternatively, they can visit reception at King’s Mill Hospital or the general office at Newark or Mansfield Community Hospitals.
Visitors eligible for other parking concessions should continue to speak to a staff member in the ward or department they are visiting or contact the main reception or general office.
Additional staff will be on hand to support patients and visitors when the new system launches.
Anyone who does not park in accordance with car parking rules risks receiving an automatic fine of £50, reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals, which offers virtual appointments for patients who do not need to attend in person, continues to encourage patients and visitors to use public transport where possible.
The visitor parking charges at all three hospital sites are:
30 minutes – free
Up to one hour – £2.00
One to two hours – £4.00
Two to four hours – £5.50
Four to eight hours – £6.50
Eight to 24 hours – £8.00
Seven day pass – £12.50
Month pass – £30.00
While the hospital trust recognises that public transport is not practical for everyone, it has worked with partners to install two new bus stops within the grounds of King’s Mill Hospital, making it a more convenient option for many.
The Trust is also collaborating with local providers to explore additional ways to encourage the use of public transport by both employees and patients.
