Car parking charges are to be reinstated at Royal Stoke University Hospital from next month.

Following a review University Hospital of North Midlands said it had to take the "difficult decision" to reinstate patient and visitors car parking charges at both Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford from Monday 1 February 2021.

The hospitals said the decision was made made based on rising costs of servicing and maintaining car parks and in line with many other NHS providers.

They added that there will be no new fees or increases in patient and visitor tariffs. Staff parking charges will not be reinstated at this time in line with government guidelines.

The exemptions for cancer, critical care, renal, high dependency and maternity patients will remain in place and the concessionary parking permit for frequent patients and visitors will also continue to be available for £15 per week.

A Trust spokesman said: "In our response to coronavirus, UHNM had already agreed to provide free parking to all prior to the Government's announcement that all NHS Trusts should now provide free parking for staff.

"We have continued to provide free parking until now. Any surplus income that is generated from car parking is reinvested directly back into patient care."

For more information on parking at the hospital, click here.