Parking for blue badge holders is free. If you're using the main car park, take your blue badge and your ticket to the reception desk in the main building before you leave.
We’ll validate your ticket so you can exit the barriers free of charge. Please note that the badge holder must be present in order for us to validate your ticket.
Blue badge holders can park in any marked parking bay, including the staff car parks. There's also a 20 minute drop off point outside the main entrance.
Car parking charges can be reimbursed for the parents or guardians of a child or young person who is admitted as an inpatient at hospital overnight. Where a car parking charge has been incurred between the hours of 19.30 and 08.00 please complete and return this form with the correct documents to claim your parking charges back.
Long term appointments – (for example cancer services and renal patients) free permits are issued directly from the ward. At each appointment before the patient leaves they will be given another permit with the date pre filled in for their next appointment. These are single use only, the patient just needs to fill in the registration part as some patients get drove in by various vehicles throughout the week.
Free parking permits are available for relatives who are visiting patients who are at the end of their life at West Cumberland hospital or the Cumberland Infirmary.
The Trust understands that this is an exceptionally difficult time for the loved ones of those who are dying and therefore we have processes in place to make sure they are able to park free of charge.
Special permits called ‘Swan permits’ can be issued in these circumstances. From 1st March 2023 these permits will be valid for five days. (Currently they are valid for 48 hours)
The process at the Cumberland infirmary (CIC) is as follows:
A free Swan permit allows free parking for up to five days only in the dedicated concession area which is on Infirmary street behind the Cancer Centre. The map below shows this area. Permits must be authorised by the nurse in charge and can then be obtained by contacting:
Please note, we are not able to deliver permits they must be collected.
These permits are not valid in any other area. Please do not use these in any other car park as you will be at high risk of receiving a parking charge notice.
Picking up your Swan permit:
Upon arrival car users must pay as normal to use the barrier operated car parks, unless specifically advised that the permit will be ready for collection upon their arrival in which case you may use the short stay area at the front of the hospital allowing 20 minutes free parking to enter the hospital to collect the permit and return to the vehicle. You must then move your vehicle to the dedicated concessionary area and clearly display your Swan permit.
The main car park (car park A) is located in front of the main entrance. There are 2 smaller car parks:
ChargesAll other patients and visitors must pay on exit at a payment machine. The machines accept 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins. Debit and credit cards are also accepted.
If you purchase a 1 week or 1 month permit, your ticket will be returned to you each time you exit the barrier system until it expires.
Grace periods:
Entering the car park
When you enter the car park there is a 15 minute grace period where you will not be charged - this is to make sure you can find a space. You can exit for free if you leave within 15 minutes of taking your ticket.
Leaving the car park
When you have paid the ticket is valid for 15 minutes. If you stay beyond 15 minutes after you have paid you will incur further cost for car parking.
If you think you’ve received an unfair parking charge, please contact UK Parking Control (UKPC). You can read about the appeals process here.
Our plans have now been submitted for a new £15m Endoscopy unit on the grounds of the Cumberland Infirmary.
The requirements for the new building means that the Trust has had an opportunity to look at options to improve and increase the car parking provision and we have submitted plans to re-provide the parking lost by the build.
The new parking plans include making the car park on the left as you come onto the site, a dedicated pubic car parking area (this is the green car park on the map). There will also be a new dedicated staff car park with over 55 spaces at the back of the hospital (the light blue car park on the map). Overall, once the Endoscopy unit is complete, there will be at least 30 more spaces across the whole site.
These changes are expected to take place at the end of April or early May 2024.
In May 2024 the Trust is also introducing Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology for visitor car parks, which will replace the current barrier system. We expect these changes to take place in early spring and we will be making sure signage on the site is clear.
Why are you making these changes?
The building for the Endoscopy unit will remove a number of car parking spaces from the current main visitors’ car park. In order to mitigate this and reduce the amount of disruption for patients and staff, we have looked at how we can re-provide those spaces. Our plans ultimately will deliver more car parking across the whole site once the Endoscopy building is complete.
Will there be more car parking spaces for visitors and staff?
Yes, once the Endoscopy build is complete there will be at least 30 more spaces across the whole site. The split between visitors and staff will be retained as the same balance. Staff will get a brand new car park at the rear of the hospital.
How long will we have less spaces for?
There will be less spaces until the Endoscopy unit is fully complete. Planning permission is still being sought and therefore this timeline is not yet fixed. Once building begins we hope to have it complete with in a year.
Where will the bus stop go?
We plan to move the bus stop to the opposite side. It will be on the left as you drive into the site. We will remove some of the grass verge to allow buses to stop while still allowing access to ambulances. We will provide a zebra crossing to give easy access to the Endoscopy centre, the Cancer Centre and other services not in the main hospital.
What will happen to the cycle rack?
The cycle rack will be re-provided in an area just off the existing Main Visitor carpark, close to the Pillars Building. One of the existing cycle racks will be dismantled and relocated, new sheeting and lighting will be added as part of the relocation. We have reviewed the use of the cycle racks and believe that a single large store provides more than sufficient capacity. It will be available for staff and public to use as the current one is.
Will parking challenges increase while the building work takes place?
There will be some disruption while building work is taking place and the numbers of space on the entire site will be slightly less. We apologise for the inconvenience and we ask for your understanding while we work to deliver new services for patients across the north of the county.
What is ANPR?
This is a system that automatically reads your number plate when you enter a car park. You don’t need to collect a ticket you just park your car in any available space. When you need to leave there are different payment options. You can:
How can we stop people just not paying?
Fixed penalty notices will still be issued for those who have not paid. They will also still be issued for those who do not park within the stated bays and if anyone who is not eligible parks in a restricted zone such as the disabled care park without a blue badge.
What if I don’t have a phone or don’t want to pay on my phone?
You can pay using the cash or card payment system that will be in the car park you are parked in. You just need to put in your number plate and it will tell you how long you have parked for and what you owe.
I don’t have the app can I still park?
Yes you can. You can pay using the cash or card payment system that will be in the car park
