Hospital Parking Charges Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

2022 CHAPTER 24

An Act to prohibit the imposition of charges for parking vehicles in hospital car parks.

[12th May 2022]

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:

Ban on hospital parking charges

1.—(1) No person may impose or recover a monetary charge with respect to the parking of a vehicle in a car park at a hospital by someone who is attending the hospital in a relevant capacity as follows—

(a) for the purpose of—

(i) work or employment at the hospital, or

(ii) providing services at the hospital,

(b) as a patient of the hospital, or

(c) as a visitor to the hospital.

(2) For the avoidance of doubt—

(a) a person is not to be regarded as attending a hospital as a visitor merely because the person parks a vehicle in a car park at the hospital, but

(b) a person is to be regarded as attending a hospital as a visitor if the person parks a vehicle in a car park at the hospital in connection with providing transport to or from the hospital for someone else who is attending the hospital in a relevant capacity (whether as a visitor or otherwise).

(3) In this section—

(a) the references to a hospital are to a hospital—

(i) within the meaning given by Article 2(2) of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, and

(ii) for which a Health and Social Care Trust has responsibility,

(b) the references to a car park at a hospital are to a car park or parking area which is part of the premises or facilities of the hospital and made available for use by people who have reason to attend the hospital in a relevant capacity,

(c) the references to parking in a car park are to parking in the car park in accordance with whatever reasonable conditions (including restrictions) apply in relation to the parking of vehicles in the car park.

Commencement

2.  This Act comes into operation at the end of the period of 2 years beginning with the day on which it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3.  This Act may be cited as the Hospital Parking Charges Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.