Controversial proposals to charge disabled people to park at Watford General Hospital have been scrapped.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust has announced today it is reversing its decision to start charging Blue Badge holders following a public consultation.

The trust has also hinted that changes to parking charges could also be introduced, with a graduated system due to come into effect in August.

Samantha Jones, trust chief executive, said: “Thank you to everyone who gave their views as part of this listening exercise. There are no easy answers to the question of car parking and transport.

“The responses received have been wide ranging, full and frank, with many helpful suggestions and comments.

“This exercise has re-emphasised the need to work differently together, the complexity of the issues, the importance of accessibility and the choices the Trust has to make across all its hospital services in order to fund everything we need to.”

Watford Observer:

The trust’s board has also announced it is dropping other unpopular measures such the plans to axe the bus service running between its hospital sites. 

Today’s announcement comes after the trust revealed plans in January to scrap the free parking for Blue Badge holders, meaning they would have to pay the same £4 minimum fee as all other visitors to the trust’s three hospitals.

The decision, which was due to come into effect in April, provoked anger from disability groups and local politicians.

However Ms Jones she suspended the implementation of the new charges and initiated a listening exercisetook after she  took up the reigns as chief executive in February .

Today she said the consultation, which had more than 3,000 respondents, had informed the board’s decision to reverse the measures.

Ms Jones added: “We have been able to build up a true picture of how our patients, visitors and staff access our services, where they come from, how long they stay on our hospital sites and their range of views on what they feel is a fair way to manage our facilities, now and in the future.

“The exercise has also enabled us to establish some really essential links with the local community.

“My trust board colleagues and I have discussed the results in great detail and have based our decisions on the views expressed from the respondents, the discussions we have had in open forum, the trust’s responsibility to delivering quality services within the money available and with the balance of what feels the right thing to do.”