Paper parking tickets will disappear at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary from 3 August 2026 when University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust switches on a new Automatic Number Plate Recognition system. Cameras will record the registration of every vehicle entering and leaving the visitor car park, ending the need for drivers to collect a ticket on arrival.
Before driving out, visitors must enter their vehicle registration at a payment machine and settle the charge. The trust has confirmed that parking tariffs will not change: a stay of up to one hour costs £2, rising to £12 for a full 24 hours. Blue Badge holders simply scan their badge at the machine to park free of charge. The car park will also move to a one-way layout, with the exit located on the opposite side from the entrance.
A trust spokesperson acknowledged that parking can be difficult at busy hospital sites and asked for public patience as the new system beds in. Payment kiosks are positioned at Ashton Road, Medical Unit 2, and Ashton Community Centre. Weekly permits remain available for £12.50 from the general office.
The change follows a wider modernisation of parking across the trust’s estate. ANPR cameras went live at two community health centres from 20 April 2026, and the trust board originally approved the technology for its three main hospital sites in January 2020.
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