Hospital parking charges: Your views

A bill to exempt carers from paying hospital car parking charges is being debated in the House of Commons.

Charges vary but the average cost in England is £39 per week.

Carers, visitors and staff have been sharing their experience with the BBC. Here is a selection:

John West in Melton, Suffolk:

During the last five weeks my mother-in-law has spent 12 days in Ipswich hospital. She is 92, blind and needs a wheelchair for any movement of more than a few metres.

My wife and I spent over 36 hours in the hospital as we made a point of being there during meal times.

We could afford to pay the parking fees but there are lots of people who can't.

I think it's unfair and I believe that hospital parking charges should be abolished. This would assist people who cannot afford to visit their loved ones because of the charges and possibly help the nursing staff as we did."

Sheila Davies in Plymouth:

Hospital parking is a nightmare.

My husband had a very rare form of lymphoma, he was very ill for nine months and getting him to hospital was difficult.

I had to take him to the entrance, park on double yellow lines, drop him off and leave him waiting there while I went and found a parking space.

There were pay on return parking areas but it was so stressful if you couldn't find a space there as you always had to have the right change for pay and display.

Some days we were in hospital all day and it could cost £12.00.

Eventually he was admitted until he died. It was the most stressful and unhappy time of my life.

I understand the money shortage in the NHS and under normal circumstances I would not object to paying parking charges. But it was already a very difficult time for us, and this was an added stress I just didn't need.

Andy Bowater tweets:

Dr Richard Rathbone in Hay on Wye:

My wife has an incurable cancer. For years we have attended regular monthly sessions with her consultant at Hereford Hospital. In addition she has to attend a clinic for infusions, blood tests, x-rays and emergencies.

The car park charges £3.50 per hour, the most expensive parking in any UK hospital.

Our journey to and from is about 90 miles and on top of this we have to shell out whatever parking charges have accrued.

It's double punishment. Endure an incurable chronic disease AND pay outrageous amounts of money.

Teresa Breed in Marlow, Buckinghamshire:

I am a pensioner and cancer patient myself and have to go to hospital for regular check ups.

I am always very aware of the time I leave my car in the car park, and if I have a long wait I get very stressed about how much this is going to cost me.

I have also taken very sick people on visits to the hospital. Waiting around with them for hours has cost me a lot in parking charges.

I find it disgusting that people are making money out of the sick and those caring for them.

I think that all hospital parking should be free.

A student nurse wrote and sent us a picture of her parking changes:

Our university used to pay for us to park in the car park but they have stopped because it is too expensive.

They advise us to get the bus, which would take me over an hour and a half using three buses or park 15 minutes away and walk.

Alan John in Scarborough:

My 85-year-old mum just spent five weeks in hospital.

I never spent a penny on parking out of principal.

I parked up on street and walked to hospital.

This is just another tax and shows what a society we have become.

Zoe Pitts' son attends the local children's ward in Kettering:

The daily parking charge is £7.40 but can be charged more than once in a day if you have to leave the site.

In my case I need to go home occasionally to see my other children and have a wash.

If I go home once a day then weekly parking costs in excess of £100.

The situation causes a great deal of stress for families at a time when they have more important things to worry about.

I shouldn't have to choose between going home to see my other children and eating for example!

Lorraine Phillips tweets she is not happy that staff pay for parking too:

Compiled by Sherie Ryder