THE cost of parking for staff at Scarborough Hospital is due to rise, to bring it into line with York Hospital.

The current rate for staff parking at York Hospital is £2 a day for pay and display, 60p for up to two-and-a-half hours, or £1.20 for up to five hours.

Staff can also pay by monthly salary deduction of £36.66. Consultants are able to park in dedicated spaces at a cost of £45.83 a month.

Costs for staff at Scarborough Hospital will be increased to match the cost of parking at York Hospital.

A spokesman for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “There are no planned changes to staff parking rates at York Hospital. What is under discussion is a change to staff parking fees at Scarborough Hospital, where staff currently pay a lower rate than at York.

“When the hospital became part of York Trust in 2012 a phased increase was agreed to make charges for staff equal for both sites. There is a cost to providing on-site parking for staff and we set a charge on that basis.

“It cannot be subsidised using funds that would otherwise go to direct patient care.

“Car parking is currently being improved at Scarborough Hospital, providing an extra 262 spaces.”