ANGER has erupted after it was revealed Airedale Hospital raked in over £1.4 million from car parking last year.

Patients and visitors together forked-out a whacking £937,877 to park at the Steeton hospital.

And staff working there paid £482,634 in charges.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust defends the fees, saying all the revenue is reinvested in the hospital – and mostly on frontline services.

But there was criticism this week of the charges.

Members of the public and most patients pay £3 to park for up to two hours, £5 for two to four hours and £8 for four to 24 hours. The first 20 minutes are free.

Staff pay monthly in a tiered system, depending on their salary.

Councillor David Mullen, chairman of Steeton-with-Eastburn Parish Council, described the fees and amount coined-in as "diabolical".

"The parking is a real cash cow for the health trust – it's an easy way of making money out of patients and their own staff," he said.

"People should be able to park for free.

"We're told the money is going into hospital services, but there's no evidence of that. In fact, we're seeing provision being run down.

"I remember when Airedale opened in 1970 there were predictions it would become simply a cottage hospital, and we are now seeing that happen."

Keighley MP John Grogan said the Labour Party, in its last General Election manifesto, had promised to end car parking charges at NHS England hospitals.

The money would be raised instead through increasing insurance tax on private healthcare to 20 per cent.

Mr Grogan added: "At Airedale Hospital I think it would be fairly straightforward to introduce free parking, which would be particularly welcome for patients and their families who are facing long stays in the wards or who have to make regular visits for treatment."

Sue Neverson, of Keighley-based Healthwatch Bradford and District, also favours free hospital parking.

"We cannot have people who are in poor health and poor wealth penalised by car parking charges when they are going to the very place where they're trying to improve their health," she said.

David Moss – managing director of AGH Solutions, which manages estates and facilities on behalf of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – defends the charges and refutes claims the proceeds aren't being directed into services.

He said: "Our parking charges were increased in 2017, after being frozen for ten years, to bring them into line with other hospital trusts across our region.

"All of the revenue from car parking is reinvested into the trust. And most of our parking income is invested into frontline services, such as the new theatre which is planned for 2020.

"We have also been able to build a new 320-space staff car park, which opened in the summer, to make it easier for patients and our staff to park – alleviating pressure on the surrounding roads and helping patients to get to their appointments on time.

"We've installed electric car charging points for patients and visitors to support sustainability. Also, we have upgraded our CCTV and security, making parking safer for patients, visitors and staff.

"Blue badge holders can park for free, and we have increased the number of blue badge spaces across the site to make it easier to find accessible parking places. We also offer the first 20 minutes parking for free, which benefits over 36,000 patients and visitors every year.

"Concessionary permits are available for visitors to patients who are likely to be in hospital longer than a week. There are also reduced rates available for patients undergoing treatment for cancer and visitors to the intensive care unit and the neonatal unit are entitled to exemption permits."