Staff to pay to park at Chertsey hospital

This will include an increase in parking charges for the first time in seven years and also see the current minimum waiting time reduced from two hours to one and the first 20 minutes will be free.

Also proposed is a two mile exclusion zone for staff, meaning that those who live within two miles of the hospital will not be able to park on site, unless they are disabled or require an exemption.

Sarah Hayes, UNISON regional organiser for the south east said: "Staff are currently in consultation with the trust about the parking charges.

"There is concern from staff that it could lead to problems with them getting to work and then this could have a knock-on effect and impact on patient care."

Deputy chief executive of the trust Valerie Bartlett, said that improving parking at both hospitals was a high priority and something they were not taking lightly.

She said: "Charging our staff to park is not something we are doing lightly and we have tried to make this as fair and equitable as possible, and to keep to charging as low as we can."

Patients, visitors and staff will be consulted at both hospitals for the next four weeks before a pricing structure for staff and visitors is drawn up.