A newly released Freedom of Information response from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust has revealed a dramatically different approach to hospital parking, providing clear evidence that a fair, patient-focused system is not only possible but already operating within Greater Manchester.
The figures stand in sharp contrast to those previously uncovered at Royal Oldham Hospital.
While Royal Oldham issued 4,040 parking fines and 2,133 warning notices in a single year, The Christie confirmed it issued zero fines and zero warning notices over the same period.
At Royal Oldham, hundreds of patients, visitors and staff were penalised, with over 350 fines later cancelled on appeal, whereas at The Christie, enforcement action is simply not part of the model.
The financial contrast is equally striking. Royal Oldham Hospital generated significant income from parking activity and enforcement, contributing to wider Trust revenues, while The Christie reported no income at all from fines or penalties.
Instead, it operates a system where patient and visitor parking is completely free, and staff contribute through a modest 0.65 per cent salary-based scheme.
In total, The Christie generated £386,127 from parking-related income, all without relying on punitive enforcement.
This difference in approach is reflected in outcomes for patients and staff. At Royal Oldham, car parks are routinely full during peak hours, contributing to delays, stress, and fines.
By comparison, although The Christie experiences on capacity, with patient parking reaching full status at times, it manages this through real-time signage and active support from on-site staff, rather than penalties.
The experience of patients and visitors also differs significantly. Royal Oldham recorded thousands of fines alongside reported incidents in car parks.
In contrast, The Christie reported zero complaints relating to parking availability, enforcement or safety, and only one accessibility-related complaint across an entire year. Just four safety-related incidents were recorded in total, highlighting a more controlled and supportive environment.
The Christie also provides direct assistance to patients through its car park team, ensuring those who need help - including vulnerable patients - are supported when arriving on site.
This stands in contrast to enforcement-led systems, where patients are often left navigating parking challenges alone. Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE, who is leading the campaign for fair parking, said “The contrast could not be clearer. At Royal Oldham, thousands of people are being fined every year.
At Christie, patients are supported, not penalised. This shows that hospital parking does not have to be stressful, unfair or punitive, it can be designed around care.”
Eddy Hardaker, Chair of the Royal Oldham Hospital Parking Campaign, added “What The Christie demonstrates is that there is a better way. You can run a hospital parking system without fining patients, without generating complaints, and without putting people under pressure. This isn’t about theory, it’s already happening. The question now is why every hospital cannot follow this model.”
In light of these findings, Our Campaigns has now written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, calling on the Government to take action to address what is increasingly becoming a postcode lottery in hospital parking.
The letter highlights the clear disparity between NHS sites and urges the Government to provide national policy direction, expectations and guidance to ensure patients are treated fairly regardless of where they receive care.
The campaign argues that the Government has a responsibility to ensure that patients are not disadvantaged simply because of where they live, particularly when accessing essential healthcare. Introducing national standards would help reduce health inequalities, improve consistency across NHS trusts and rebuild public confidence in the system.
The findings provide powerful evidence to support calls for reform at Royal Oldham Hospital, where campaigners are pushing for a safer, fairer and more sustainable system. This includes an end to enforcement-led parking, improved safety measures, and long-term investment in infrastructure such as a multi-storey car park.
The comparison between the two hospitals highlights a fundamental choice in how parking is managed - a system that penalises patients and staff, or one that supports them. The Christie has shown that a patient-first approach is both achievable and effective.
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