Roma Mills, district councillor for Batchwood, has welcomed the news that car parking charges for hospital in-patients and their visitors will be scrapped over the next three years. She is hoping that the recent announcement by health secretary Andy Burnham will benefit not just those visiting the City Hospital in her ward, but also residents who regularly suffer parking chaos on streets near to the site.

Roma Mills, who is also Labour’s Parliamentary candidate, said: “This should be a positive development for people living in roads such as Alban Avenue, Eleanor Avenue, Margaret Avenue and Batchwood View. At the moment they have real problems caused by visitors and staff using their roads to park in to avoid charges on the hospital site. There are also serious safety implications in terms of access for emergency vehicles. A consultation process is currently underway, giving residents the option of either increased restrictions or a controlled parking scheme. Hopefully the free parking plan for in-patients will also ease some of the difficulties they are having.”

Health secretary Andy Burnham made the announcement that car parking permits will be issued free to in-patients on September 30th at the Labour Party Conference. The initiative is expected to cost £140 million per annum and will be phased in over the next three years.