THE news that Hereford County Hospital is among the most expensive places to park in the country will not surprise many.

The £3.50 drivers pay to leave their vehicle outside the hospital for the first hour has been in place since 2013 – and sees the site near the top of the ‘fee table’ when the statistics are released each year.

Health bosses claim the hospital would not have been developed to such an extent had it not been for the PFI system which included a private company being entitled to collect the parking charges. But focusing on where the money goes does not solve the problem of parking outside the ‘County’.

Due to the fact that so many people travel so many miles to attend, the car park is often full – despite the costs and availability of nearby rail and bus stations.

Simply scrapping the charges, as many call for, would lead to even more people parking at the hospital.

Others point to the free parking on offer at Welsh hospitals but the website for the Nevill Hall in Abergavenny explains the issues that come with this system.

“The lack of car parking capacity is a fundamental problem and, regrettably, a vacant parking space cannot be guaranteed for anyone visiting the site,” the website reads.

Nevill Hall say they are currently seeking a solution but, in the meantime, have asked people to use the drop-off point near the main entrance.

The two contrasting options of expensive fees or no charges prove there is no easy solution to a problem caused by so many people relying on a car to get around.