Winchester health bosses say the main reason for introducing car parking charges at Andover War Memorial Hospital is to recoup some of the running costs.
At a meeting last year Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare Trust told Andover residents the charges should put a stop to rail commuters using the car park.
A couple of Andover Advertiser readers picked up on those comments and suggested that deterring rail commuters was the main reason for imposing the charges.
One reader wrote: "So, it's the commuters' fault we now have to pay for visiting our hospital."
Now a Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust spokeswoman has explained that while it may be a useful side-effect, the reason for imposing the charges was to meet running costs - and even then the charges will not cover the whole cost.
The annual running cost will amount to £60,000 while the estimated income will be £40,000, leaving a deficit of £20,000 for the trust to pay. Costs include £15,000 for staffing and £14,000 for maintenance.
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