New car parking system to be introduced for Mid Yorkshire visitors

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is launching a new camera-controlled, ticketless car parking management system called ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) in visitor car parks.

ANPR uses cameras and software to read car registration numbers. The installation of this new technology will help to improve the way in which our car parks are managed and provide more efficient and convenient entry and exit for our visitors.

The main visitor car park at Pinderfields Hospital will be the first to go live with ANPR from 15 May, with the Ashton car park at Pinderfields following from 22 May. Dewsbury visitor car park is due to launch ANPR at the end of May, with Pontefract planned for early June.

Richard Young, Associate Director of Estates for Mid Yorkshire, said:
“We are always looking to innovate and this includes how we can use modern technology to improve the facilities for those visiting our hospitals. Ensuring ease of access for everyone using our services is one such improvement.

“As well as making the car parking process more streamlined, the introduction of a new fully digital and ticketless system will help to reduce the amount of paper waste produced by no longer issuing physical printed paper tickets.

“For those people who do not want to drive, our hospitals are also well-served by public transport which provides another option for our visitors.”

The system will be simple to use requiring visitors to input their vehicle registration number at a pay station when ready to leave and a fee will be automatically generated - the current car parking rates will remain the same. There will also be the opportunity to pay via a card reader at the barrier.

Dewsbury and Pontefract will be cashless sites, whilst Pinderfields will have one pay station that takes both cash and card with the rest being cashless.

We want to reassure our patients and visitors that short visits under 20 minutes will remain free of charge and all current concessions will continue, including free parking for Blue Badge holders and discounted rates for frequent hospital attenders.

The ANPR system will be expanded into Mid Yorkshire’s staff car parks starting in the summer.

Further information on car parking can be found at https://www.midyorks.nhs.uk/getting-here.