People using the hospital park-and-ride service in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, are being reminded to register their car details at the hospital to ensure their parking remains free. The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council issued the advice this week to help visitors avoid receiving unexpected parking fines.
The service operates from the Knights Park site and offers a way to reach Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury without using the often-crowded main hospital car parks. To use the site for free, visitors and patients must enter their vehicle registration number into digital tablets located at the hospital’s main reception or the oncology unit after they arrive on the shuttle bus.
According to the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, the system uses automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to monitor the parking area. If a visitor fails to log their plate details at the hospital, they will likely be issued a penalty charge notice by the parking operator.
The Saba Parking website explains that this registration process confirms a person is a genuine hospital visitor. This helps prevent the park-and-ride bays from being used by drivers who are not visiting the medical facilities.
The council suggests that using the park-and-ride service is a more sustainable way to travel and helps reduce traffic congestion on the A21. Residents are urged to ensure their registration details are entered correctly into the consoles to avoid the stress of a fine.
