A STEEP increase in hospital car parking fees for visitors has provoked opposition from a health group.

From next month, South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust will implement a 50 per cent rise throughout its car parks. The pay and display rate for 24 hours will rise from £1 to £1.50 for patients and visitors, while staff will also face increased deductions from their wages for car parking.

Full-time staff will pay an extra 58p a week, taking their contribution up to £2.16, while the fee for part-timers will rise from 79p to £1.08.

Parking charges were first introduced at South Tees Hospitals, including the main sites of Middlesbrough General and The James Cook University Hospital, to fund 24-hour security.

Because of the costs involved, the Trust felt it inappropriate to divert money from the care and treatment of patients. As part of the single site development at The James Cook University Hospital, the Trust's private sector partner will assume responsibility for car parking from 2003.

The contract specifies that the Trust must review and introduce charges, which it began as an ongoing process last year.

Hotel services manager, Paul Birch, said: "The additional income will not only help maintain security, but allow us to provide more improvements."

Peter Johnson, chief officer for South Tees Community Health Council said: "We are very, very unhappy about this. Most people have to pay to park for work, but we do not believe that patients and their visitors should have to pay to park in hospitals."