Hereford County Hospital has the most expensive parking charges second only to The Royal Surrey County Hospital, according to figures, obtained by the Press Association, through Freedom of Information requests.

Their inquiries revealed that Hereford County Hospital has been named as the second most expensive hospital car park in the country - where it costs £3.50 for a one hour visit.

Car parking charges at hospitals have been branded a tax on sickness and there was an outcry when charges were introduced at Ross Community Hospital last year.

However, these charges are collected by a company on behalf of the Wye Valley Trust and will be used to pay for services and maintenence. The County Hospital does not directly manage the car parks there or the contract that covers the running of them, and therefore income from car parking fees does not contribute to hospital finances.