The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, which runs the RLI, last month confirmed it would be responding to a government consultation on phasing in free parking at hospitals.

Consultation ended on February 23, but the trust, which introduced charges in 1995, says its response is confidential.

In 2006/07, its 513 staff spaces and 257 for patients and visitors
generated £261,578 in parking revenue.

That rose to £294,948 the following year when tariffs increased, and income in 2008/09 was £300,603.

Charges vary from £1.70 for one hour, to £6.50 for up to eight hours, and are more expensive at the RLI than at the Trust's other hospitals, Furness General in Barrow and Westmorland General in Kendal.

In September, health secretary Andy Burnham pledged to abolish parking charges for inpatients, their relatives and friends within three years.

The consultation launched in December asked the public whether this should include all inpatients or only those in hospital for longer than a day.

Ministers are also considering whether free parking should be offered to outpatients, or specific groups such as cancer patients.

Alternatively, a cap could limit how much each patient would pay.

Trusts are likely to have to make up the revenue shortfall from existing resources.

Anne-Marie Weaver, 27, from Heysham, who is 29-weeks pregnant and has to visit the RLI every week, called for all charges to be scrapped.
"It's an expensive business she said.

"I must have easily spent £30 on parking since I've been pregnant, it's ridiculous.

"You don't know how long you will be there so you have to keep popping out to put more money on.

"It's horrendous."

Hospital trust chief executive, Tony Halsall, said the trust would ensure agreed changes were implemented within the set timescales.

He said parking income was mainly used for improvements to parking and security but that any surplus was reinvested in patient services.