Users of local hospitals including St George’s and King’s College Hospital are to benefit from free parking after the government said that it would abolish charges for inpatients and their visitors.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham has just announced that patients will be given a free parking permit for the duration of their stay in hospital to pass on to visiting friends and families, for whom parking costs can currently rack up.

It currently costs up to £2.50 per hour to park at King’s College Hospital during peak times an £2 per hour at St George’s Hospital.

The phasing out of the charges will take place over three years, and could save patients and their families up to £2 million a year. It will be funded by year-on-year savings in back office NHS costs.

King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill has benefited from government investment, with the brand new 750-room Golden Jubilee Wing, costing £60 million, being opened in 2003. St George’s Hospital in Tooting opened its award-winning new Atkinson Morley Wing in the same year after government capital investment of £50 million.

Chuka Umunna, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Streatham commented:

“The last thing patients in hospital and their loved ones should have to worry about is paying for a parking ticket.

“Friends and family should be able to visit patients in hospital without repeatedly paying parking fees to do so.”