NEW rules at the Westmorland General Hospital mean members of the public will no longer be allowed to park in staff car parks from Friday, April 1.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust is implementing a new permit system at the hospital to address pressures on staff parking on the site.  

Under the Trust’s new staff parking system, car park attendants will record the presence of unauthorised vehicles in staff areas. Fines will be issued for unauthorised parking.

Leanne Cooper, Interim Chief Operating Officer, said: “Parking at our sites is limited, and we would encourage everyone – staff, patients and visitors – to avoid driving to our hospitals unless it is essential. 

“We recognise that parking can be difficult for patients and visitors too but it is vital that we keep allocated spaces free for our teams so they are able to be at work on time to provide services for our communities. 

"To assist our teams, we would urge members of the public who need to drive to our hospital to only use the public pay-and-display car parks and avoid staff areas, which will be clearly marked.”