Barnet Hospital parking

NHS Capital Guidance includes a line for 'New build – Car parking' but the NCL Integrated Care Board Joint Capital Resource Use Plan 2024/25 does not appear to include allocation for this for Barnet Hospital.  This tallies with what senior officers have informed us.

However, we are also aware of the move of some services to Barnet Hospital, such as maternity and neonatal services and note that this includes 'an additional £67 million of capital investment to improve the quality of the estate'.  If this means greater pressure on parking, the question must be asked how and where this is factored into the equation and why this capital funding couldn't be used to meet this need.  An NHS news release confirms the Start Well Programme decision.  The issue of parking appears to have been noted in March 2025 papers for the Integrated Care Board.

Furthermore, a decision-making business case document outlines that:

"Parking has been raised as a particular consideration for parents who have a child admitted to a neonatal unit, given their need to visit their child on an ongoing basis and in some instances over an extended period."

In August 2025, Cllr Beg informed us:

"there are no updates re the hospital if this means about the long-term future plans for hospital parking. Many agencies would be involved in these conversations over a period of time so I wouldn’t expect anything soon."

We note that there was talk of developing a multi-storey car park at Barnet Hospital in 2018, which didn't come to fruition.

A 2020 article outlined that the CPZ introduced in several roads near the hospital in 2018 aimed to ensure that only residents with permits could leave their cars in the bays. Whilst this stopped non-residents – including hospital staff – from leaving their cars on the streets, people living just outside the CPZ claimed it has pushed parking problems onto their streets.

Minutes of the residents forum of January 2020 states that "Councillor Richard Cornelius tried to negotiate with the Chief Executive of Barnet Hospital offering some funding for extra parking but the Chief Executive declined the offer." 

The hospital now has a new CEO.

Update - 21 October 2025

Freedom of Information request made to Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust with response in red

A March 2025 news release provided an update about the Royal Free London's maternity and neonatal services and references £67 million of investment. Minutes of the NHS North Central London ICB Board of Members meeting of Tuesday, 25 March 2025 mention parking 82 times.

How much of the £67 million will be invested into sustainable parking solutions on the premises of Barnet Hospital?

The trust does not hold this information. The trust not does not allocate its funds in that way so this is not recorded.

What is the breakdown of that investment?

Not applicable

If you cannot provide this information, kindly advise which organisation can.

Not applicable

Update - 13 January 2026 

We have established, via a post on NextDoor and associated communications that some hospital staff wait two or three years in order to get a staff permit.  There are discussions online about people parking on Mays Lane and surrounding streets.  Resolving this issue shouldn't be a zero sum game, but it also needs creative thinking, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach with controlled parking zones seen as the only solution.

Update - 27 January 2026

The Council have been vague in their response to a question about meetings between themselves and the hospital.

Update - 30 January 2026

In an FOI response,  the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust stated:

Currently the trust has an agreement to expand some parking into the fallow land  (northeast of the hospital next to the existing staff parking zone on wellhouse lane) to establish circa 50 additional spaces , however this won’t conclude in the near future due to works required to expand to clear ground of contaminants.  The trust is also in the process of appointing a transport consultant to advise on the layout of the existing car parks to see if more spaces can be added in, while ensuring flow etc remains safe. Local health unit executive team has yet to decide if the additional capacity will be patient, staff, or hybrid.