Why it matters: The confirmation comes after confusion among patients and visitors following the changeover from Parking Eye, with many questioning whether the car park would switch from pay-on-exit to pay-on-entry and whether free parking would be removed.
The details: Group Nexus took over management of the trust's car parking services on Wednesday, 22 October, after Parking Eye's contract ended. Charges were frozen in all patient and visitor car parks from Monday, 21 October, and will be reinstated from today.
Doug Ward, interim director of estates and facilities at the trust, said: "Patients and visitors do not need to pay to park in our public car parks until Monday, 27 October. A current freeze on parking charges is in place to support the Trust's transition to a new car parking provider, Group Nexus. This time will also enable new payment machines to be installed and tested."
He added, "There are no other changes being made. All existing parking charges and payment arrangements will stay the same. We will also continue to provide 30 minutes free parking and free drop-off zones for our patients and visitors."
What's changing: The transition to Group Nexus enables new payment machines to be installed and tested across the trust's car parks, which run Colchester Hospital and Ipswich Hospital, as well as several smaller community hospitals in the surrounding area.
What's staying the same: All existing parking charges, the 30-minute free parking period, free drop-off zones, and the pay-on-exit system will continue unchanged under the new operator.
The bottom line: Despite the change in operator and the installation of new payment machines, parking arrangements at Ipswich Hospital remain the same, with the trust maintaining its free 30-minute period and pay-on-exit system.
