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26
Mar 2020
Harrogate hospital scraps parking charges for NHS staff
All NHS staff working at Harrogate District Hospital will be able to park their cars for free during the coronavirus pandemic.
The government will cover the cost after a petition calling for the move reached over 400,000 signatures.
It also comes after some private firms decided to waive fees for NHS staff, who can pay up to £1,300 a year to park according to the GMB union.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said: "I will do everything I can to ensure our dedicated staff have whatever they need.
"So we will provide free car parking for our NHS staff who are going above and beyond every day in hospitals across England."
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust sent out a message to staff before the announcement to say that parking charges would be scrapped.
With a surge of volunteers signing up to help at hospitals, they will be able to use council parking bays for free.
They just need to display evidence of their role in their windscreen to avoid a ticket.
Ministers are also urging all businesses near hospitals to work with their local NHS Trusts to consider allowing NHS staff to use their car parks.
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