Hospital car parking fees in Scotland are to be capped at £3 a day, it has been announced.
Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the measure is being introduced to avoid “unnecessary or excessive” charging.
However, it will not apply at two of the country’s biggest hospitals where Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangements are in place.
The move comes after an independent review group was established to examine the issue after concerns were raised by both hospital staff and patients.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The review group has found that the cost of car parking can be too high for staff on lower wages, for patients and for visitors and that a maximum charge should be set – but that further work is needed on what that maximum charge should be.
“That work will be done, but in order to provide protection against unnecessary or excessive charges in the meantime, I have decided to act now to introduce a cap of £3 a day.”
She added that the restrictions will be implemented at some point in January.
However, the PFI car park at Glasgow Royal Infirmary which charges £1.10 an hour and the PFI-built Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, with does have a £7 daily cap, will not be covered by the £3 restriction.
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