An increase in the cost of parking at Ninewells has been branded as a “tax on ill health” by a patient support group.
Vinci Park UK, which operates the car parks at the hospital, is raising ticket prices by 5% from Saturday.
Signs have now been placed on all pay and display machines warning visitors of the increase in the day rate to £2.10.
The executive director of the Scottish Patients Association, Dr Jean Turner, has slammed the increase.
She said: “To put (the price of parking) up by 5% when people’s wages are not going up is just business looking out for business and nobody else but business.
“This is a gravy train at patient’s expense that has to stop.”
A spokesman for Vinci Park UK insisted that the increase is the first since 2012 and is in line with inflation.
But Dr Turner said: “I don’t think they understand the stresses and strains thatare put on people who need to get intohospital.
“You have got to get an appointment and then try and park, which is difficult as there often is not enough space.
“This is another tax on ill health.”
One NHS worker was furious at the increase, describing the condition of the car parks as being like “the rocky road to Damascus”.
She added: “How can Vinci justify the increase when they have done no service to either the employees of the NHS, Dundee University students or patients and visitors?”
A spokesman for Vinci Park UK said: “We can confirm that the tariff for dayvisitors parking at Ninewells Hospitalwill increase from £2 to £2.10 fromNovember 1.
“This 2.5% annual increase is the first since 2012 and matches the retail price index increase for that period.
“We continue to operate the parking facilities at Ninewells to a high standard, including a free mobility scheme providing electric scooters and wheelchairs fordisabled users and a free shuttle bus service from outlying car parks.
“Parking charges remain significantly lower than at many neighbouring facilities.”
Staff parking tickets, which arepurchased on a monthly basis, areincreasing by 3.1% to £33.20 a month.
NHS Tayside director of operationsKen Armstrong said, “The Ninewellshospital car parking arrangement isoperated under PFI conditions.
“Car parking charges at Ninewells are reviewed by car parking operator Vinci Park UK Ltd and new parking charges are a result of this.”
The contract with Vinci began in 1998 and will conclude in 2028.