APCOA makes parking free for NHS staff at some locations

Coronavirus: Parking operator is working with clients to expand number of free parking sites

APCOA Parking UK NHS staff free parking at a number of car parks across the UK.

Staff have to show their NHS pass to be provided with free parking. This offer takes place with immediate effect and will be valid for parking until the end of April, when it will review the situation again.

APCOA said it can only make parking free for NHS staff at car parks it directly leases and operates only a few car parks in the UK. The car parks are:

• Grand Arcade, Wigan
• King William, Hull
• Broad Street, Halifax
• Kingsgate, Dunfermline
• Bryanston St, London
• St Catherine’s, Carmarthen
• Wrottesley St, Chinatown, Birmingham
• Priory Centre, Dartford

“These are the car parks where we can directly control pricing and enforcement policy, such as those above,” a spokesperson said.  “For the majority of APCOA car parks, we are operating on behalf of a client, including NHS trusts and local authorities.

“The client sets the parking policy and APCOA enforces it. We do not receive the direct revenue or have the authority to change the client’s policy. However, we are currently in discussions with many clients who have car parks close to NHS facilities to lobby for the rules to be relaxed for NHS staff during this crisis period.”

For example, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust will be providing free parking with immediate effect for all users at Northwick Park, Central Middlesex and Ealing hospitals. “We hope and believe that more clients will quickly follow this example. We will provide updates on our website (www.apcoa.co.uk) as the situation changes.”

APCOA is also offered free use of its leased car parking facilities to the government’s COVID Support Group for any purposes that might be useful to them.