THERE will be widespread shock at the large increases in parking charges planned by Oxford University Hospitals Trust.

Yesterday, the justification put forward by the trust was far from clear, especially after it went back on its original claim that the increase had been caused by a rise in costs for running car parks at its four sites. In fact, figures indicate, costs had gone down.

There was also the justificable statement that cash for patient care should not go into parking, which should be self-funding.

But with a surplus (pre-rise) of about £900,000 in parking revenues, that is already happening.

So we are left a little confused by the trust’s explanation for these huge increases, of up to 87 per cent.

If it is not to offset rising costs of running car parks, nor to plough more cash into patient care, what exactly is the reason?

These are massive rises that will hit patients and their families hard, many of whom can ill afford it.

If they must pay more, then the trust has a duty to tell them exactly why without fudging the issue.