Regular outpatients and Blue Badge holders will no longer have to pay parking fees at Rugby's St Cross

Blue Badge holders and regular outpatients will no longer have to pay parking charges at Rugby s Hospital of St Cross and UHCW in Coventry starting tomorrow, Saturday May 1.

The move comes about because of new government regulations - and comes after several residents previously wrote to the Advertiser to express their disappointment that Blue Badge holders and regular patients were having to pay parking fees.

While the charges will no longer apply for the named groups - there are a few things you will need to do when you arrive in a car park owned by either hospital.

A spokesperson from the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust said: "Blue badge holders, attending hospital as a patient or visitor, simply should present their blue badge and registration details to our security offices to register their vehicle as being able to park for free.

"Alternatively, you can send your vehicle registration and a photo/scan of your Blue Badge (please ensure the name and expiry date are clearly visible) to [email protected]

"This registration will remain in place for the duration of the badge’s licencing period.

"Blue Badges belong to the person and are not registered to a vehicle so if a Blue Badge holder attends hospital in a different vehicle, they would need to register that vehicle with the Trust’s security team.

"Frequent outpatient attenders (those who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months) will also be provided with free parking.

"If you think this is you please keep evidence of your outpatient appointments and we will confirm the process you need to follow in the near future.

"Subsidised parking remains in place Oncology (cancer) patients attending for outpatient intravenous chemotherapy / radiotherapy treatment; Renal Dialysis patients; Parents who stay in hospital overnight to accompany their sick children and those collecting paperwork relating to a bereavement.

"Visitors to our Covid Vaccination Clinics are also eligible for free parking. Please park in any patient car park and leave your vehicle registration details when asked in reception."