ANGRY Southampton hospital staff have been hit with a sharp increase in parking charges.

Doctors, nurses and other staff at Southampton General, the Royal South Hants and Princess Anne hospitals are being charged more than double the previous fee for their parking permit.

Until now, employees have been charged either £9.42 or £4.70 for their monthly parking permit.

But from this month the fee has increased to £20 or £10 respectively.

Bosses at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust say the increase is needed to fund better facilities such as dedicated staff buses, and improved showers, lockers and changing areas to encourage people to cycle to work.

But hospital staff have branded the rise "an insult".

One doctor told the Daily Echo: "Most staff are unable to use public transport to travel to and from their place of work yet are being forced to accept a 112 per cent increase in car parking charges.

"The fee doesn't guarantee a parking space, even if they arrive before 8am each morning. Charging us £127 a year extra just to go to work seems inequitable."

A nurse, who also asked not to be named, added: "The price hike is outrageous and insulting and will affect countless families."

Trust spokesman Peter Campion said the increased prices were necessary to fund parking improvements.

"We recognise that we need to improve parking and travel facilities for staff, but clearly that will cost money," he said.

"While nobody likes having to pay more for parking, the most staff are paying is less than £1 a day, which is still very competitive compared to car parks in the city centre."

The trust hopes eventually to build a second multi-storey car park on the Southampton General Hospital site, which has been plagued with parking problems for years.

Although predominantly for staff, the car park, planned for the Coxford Road side, would help ease the pressure on the existing car park.

A further 200 spaces are also set to be created within the next 18 months as part of building plans.

Claire Critchley, chairman of Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust staff representative body, said: "Obviously no one is ecstatic about having to pay more for parking, but all staff were consulted about the plans last year.

"The general consensus is that we accept the increase but want to ensure management ring-fence the money and put time frames on the plans."

Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust currently has debts of £11.3m and is preparing to make up to 100 staff redundant.

Meanwhile, chief executive Mark Hackett is being investigated by a special panel after it emerged he had left his previous hospital trust in financial crisis.