PATIENT and visitor parking will be free for up to four hours at Knutsford Community Hospital.

Having listened to public feedback, patient and visitor parking at Knutsford and Congleton hospitals will remain free of charge for up to four hours, following a decision made by the Board of East Cheshire NHS Trust this week.

The trust had originally considered setting parking charges at both Knutsford Community and Congleton War Memorial hospitals in line with its Macclesfield site.

A number of responses have been received from the public, including petitions, highlighting concerns about the cost to patients who travel regularly to the sites and worries of cars parking on surrounding roads.

The board took into account these points and other the views of the public and agreed to amend the parking policy for the community hospital sites.

John Wilbraham, Chief Executive of East Cheshire NHS Trust, said “I am grateful to members of the public who took time to share their views with us. It is beneficial for the trust to be able to better manage its car parking facilities but there was genuine concern from the public about patients who travel every week to the sites facing charges. The Board accepted that a solution to this was needed.”

“Very few, if any members of the public would be on the hospital site for more than 4 hours when using the hospital services and so extending the length of time for free parking removes this concern and was in fact suggested by some of the responses received.

"Other concerns such as cars parking on surrounding roads to avoid charges are also resolved by this solution.”

The changes will be implemented on April 1 2015.