Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (HBDHB) will introduce paid parking for staff and visitors to its Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldier’s Memorial and Corporate Office site in Hastings from 1 March between the hours of 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours, including weekends and public holidays, will be free.
Chief operating officer Sharon Mason said paid parking was an important step toward HBDHB’s transport initiative to free up parking space at the hospital, while offering alternative forms of transport options, including free bus fares for outpatients and their caregivers.
During the Christmas holiday period parks were colour-coded in preparation for the new parking initiative. Pay and display machines will start to be installed this week (6 February), although would remain covered until the go live date of 1 March.
“We have had numerous complaints from visitors and patients in the past who have struggled to find a park on the hospital campus,” said Mrs Mason.
“We believe that by introducing the new parking system which separates staff parking, as well as introduces a time limit on public parking spaces, that more parks will become readily available for our visitors who will be required to pay $1 for every 3.5 hours parked on site.”
Mrs Mason said the DHB did recognise that exemptions would need to be made for some visitors, and those would be considered by its travel team in conjunction with departments and service directors on a case-by-case basis.
“Free parking spaces are already marked and available for labouring women at Gate 4 near maternity and there are also two free parks outside the Emergency Department for drop-offs only, she said.
Parking exemptions include, but may not be limited to:
- Mobility permit holders
- Motorcycles parked in designated motorcycle spaces
- Renal patients who drive themselves to dialysis
- Long-term users of health services (defined as a patient receiving in-patient health services for twenty-one (21) consecutive days or more)
- Frequent users of health services (defined as a patient receiving hospital based health services 12 times or more in a 12 month period for ongoing medical condition).
- Time limited car parks for specific treatments e.g. Blood Test (P30 – 30 minutes), Therapy Patient Parking (P90 – 90 minutes)
Visitors will be required to pay for their parking using a pay and display machine or by downloading the universal “ParkMate” app, which is already an option in many cities, including Napier.
Mrs Mason said parking monies collected would go directly back into the DHB’s travel plan budget to supplement future travel initiatives and facilities.
“Last year, some great new initiatives were introduced to support our transport plan. These included express bus services timed for shift workers; a new commuter bus service linking Napier, Taradale, Hawke’s Bay Hospital and Hastings; walking and biking maps going online, plus more bike racks available within hospital grounds.”
In January free bus travel to and from outpatient appointments at Hawke’s Bay Hospital and Napier Health came into effect for outpatients, including the patient’s carer or support person, from anywhere on the GoBay bus network.
Mrs Mason said HBDHB will be carrying out widespread advertising in print, on radio and social media to give people plenty of notice about the parking charges coming into effect from 1 March.
Staff will also be well briefed. Staff will be able to use the staff car park at Gate 2 or may park in white spaces for $1 per day. Staff who register as carpoolers will be able to park for free in dedicated orange carpool spaces.
