Drivers visiting the Horton General Hospital in Banbury are now using a new camera-based parking system that has removed the need for paper tickets and barriers. The Automatic Number Plate Recognition system, introduced by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, went live on 5 January 2026 to manage vehicle entry and exit times automatically.
Under the new pay-on-departure model, visitors no longer have to predict how long their hospital appointment will take before parking. The first 30 minutes of parking remain free of charge at all hospital sites. Drivers can pay for their stay at on-site machines using a bank card or contactless payment. Alternatively, users can pay via the Evology mobile app, which offers the flexibility to settle parking fees within 48 hours of leaving the hospital.
The hospital trust has highlighted that entering a vehicle registration number correctly is essential to avoid potential fines. Drivers are advised to double-check their characters, specifically noting that similar-looking figures like the letter O and number 0, or the letter l and number 1, are frequently confused during the payment process.
Blue Badge holders are still entitled to free parking, though they must register their vehicle at an on-site payment machine by scanning the barcode on their badge. This one-time registration remains valid for six months across the trust’s sites, including the John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals in Oxford. While some users experienced technical difficulties with the badge scanning process during the system’s first day of operation, the trust confirmed that those affected were not issued fines as the equipment was brought to full functionality.
Parking charges at the site remain unchanged following the introduction of the new technology. The trust has stated that all revenue generated from these car parks is reinvested into patient and visitor services.
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