Proposals to Radically Improve Our Car Parking at Derriford Hospital
After listening to feedback from our patients, their representatives including the Plymouth LINk and our staff, we have quite radical plans to improve car parking at Derriford Hospital. To see an outline of these, which were discussed with members of Plymouth's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 9 November 2011, follow this link.
Parking Map
To download a parking map for the Derriford Hospital site click here >
Important Notice to Patients
From 1st January 2012 the period of 45 minutes free parking, designed for picking up/dropping off, has been reduced to 15 minutes. If you are attending a hospital appointment, then please pay for a minimum of two hours or access one of the variety of concessionary parking tickets available for patients from the parking office in Car Park A.
Patient and Visitor Parking
There are just over 1000 car parking spaces for patients and visitors at Derriford Hospital. The Trust’s policy is to reserve as much car parking as possible for patients and visitors next to the hospital whilst offering staff the use of park and ride sites with minibuses shuttling them to and from the hospital. Parking charges apply between 8am and 9pm.
Free Parking and Parking Discounts
Free Parking
The following groups are entitled to free parking:
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All registered disabled patients who hold a disabled badge or drivers who are transporting a patient who holds a disabled badge
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Parents who are staying with their children in hospital or parents whose babies are being cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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Relatives of those patients who are being cared for on the Liverpool End of Life Care Pathway
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Those who are visiting the bereavement office or collecting a death certificate
If you qualify under any of these groups, please go to the parking office in car park A to obtain your special parking permit.
Concessions
In addition, a range of concessionary tickets will continue to be available as below:
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Patients attending clinics for Radiotherapy, Renal, Chemotherapy, Physiotherapy, Dermatology, Blood Donors and Oncology or those who are parents or carers of children attending the Derriford Children’s Cancer Service will continue to be able to pay £1.20 per day.
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Discounts are available for stays of a week or longer:
£24 for a 5 day ticket (2 days free parking)
£32 or a 7 day ticket (3 days free parking)
£96 for a 1 month ticket (7 days free parking)
All concessionary tickets can be shared between different vehicles. For more information on these concessions please
* ring 01752 763949
* or go to the parking office in car park A
Unexpected Stays
If your stay is unexpectedly extended either due to clinics running late or unexpected admission to hospital, then please ask the ward/department to contact the parking office on 53949 giving your car details and which car park you are parked in.
Travel Expenses
Some patients in receipt of certain state benefits may be entitled to a refund of their parking costs and travel expenses. For further information please visit the Cashier’s Office on level 7 of Derriford Hospital or telephone 0845 155 8170.
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Time Period
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New Charges from 1 May 2009
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0-15 mins
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Free
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15 mins - 2 hrs
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£2.20
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2 - 3 hrs
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£3.30
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3 - 4 hrs
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£4.40
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4 - 6 hrs
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£6.60
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6 - 8 hrs
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£8.00
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No charge 9pm - 7am
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Why do we have to pay at all?
Providing car parking costs the hospital Trust around £1.7 million per year. The Trust which runs Derriford Hospital, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, cannot divert money away from giving medical care to patients to fund car parking. Therefore the Trust has to recover the cost of car parking from charges levied on both staff and visitors. Currently the income received from parking does not cover the cost of providing the parking for both staff and the public. Staff parking charges were increased in February 2009.
What about other methods of transport?
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust has a nationally renowned green travel plan and encourages the use of public transport among staff, patients and visitors, wherever possible. Derriford is served well by public transport, hosting the second busiest bus terminal in Plymouth with 44 buses per hour calling at peak times. Staff are offered discounted bus passes while car sharing is encouraged among staff with more than 250 staff parking spaces dedicated to car sharers. In addition, there is a public park and ride site located north of the hospital at the George junction (opposite the George Pub/Hotel). It is open from 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and parking is free, although visitors do need to purchase a ticket to travel on the bus (currently £1.50).
This is ideal for patients and visitors travelling from the north of the City to Derriford Hospital.
What are the hospital's plans for parking in future?
The hospital Trust is planning on providing a new main entrance to Derriford Hospital and working with partners to provide a new multi-storey car park and transport interchange directly outside the new main entrance.
Drop-off bays
Drop-off and collection bays are available around the hospital entrances.
Park and Ride
There is a public park and ride site located north of the hospital at the George junction (opposite the George Pub/Hotel). It is open from 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and parking is FREE, although you will need to purchase a ticket to travel on the bus.
This is ideal for patients and visitors travelling from the north of the City to Derriford hospital. Catch the First Bus No.7 bus service from the park and ride, which stops directly outside the main entrance to the hospital. The No.7 service leaves the park and ride every 30 minutes at 24 minutes and 44 minutes past the hour.
Parking at the Royal Eye Infirmary
There is parking available around the Royal Eye Infirmary with a limit of 2-3 hours waiting time
Disabled parking
Blue Badge holders can also park in non-disabled bays free of charge and with no time limit (excluding emergency and drop-off bays)
Drop-off bays
Drop-off points are available at the front of the Royal Eye Infirmary and outside Outpatients 2.
Parking charges
In some areas around the Royal Eye Infirmary parking charges apply.
Parking at Scott Hospital, Child Development Centre
There are a limited number of parking spaces allocated to the Plymouth Child Development Centre, some of which are specifically marked for parent and child and disabled patients. There is also unrestricted “on road” parking available just outside the Business Park.