In March the Evening Leader reported Assembly health minister Edwina Hart's announcement that controversial car parking charges at hospitals in Wales would be scrapped from April, or as soon as individual hospitals' contracts with private operators ended.

The Wrexham Maelor Hospital contract with operator Euro Car Parks finishes today (July 24).

Patients, visitors and campaign groups have welcomed the end of charging at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, but there are concerns the problem that existed before charging – of people leaving their cars in the car park to walk to their workplaces or into Wrexham – will return.

That's why North Wales NHS Trust is imposing a new maximum stay of two hours – or three hours in the case of drivers with a 'Blue Badge' disabled parking permit – with no return within the following two hours.

This is intended to make the car parks less convenient for people who do not have business at the the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, such as rail commuters and people working on the adjacent technology park or visiting the town centre.

This means motorists parking at the hospital will still need to display a valid parking ticket to show what time they arrived, although there will not be any charge for this. The tickets will be available from a number of machines within the car parks. The penalty charge for parking infringements (such as exceeding the time limit without good reason or failing to display a ticket) has been increased to £70, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.

Patients or visitors who need to stay at the hospital for longer than this can contact the car park staff, either directly or through the ward or department where they are being treated. Any penalty notices issued will be cancelled where the patient has evidence of being on official hospital business, or where this is confirmed by the ward or department.

New signs are being put up around the hospital to explain the new rules.

Miles Timperley, who is general manager for estates at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, said: "We want to make sure that patients can still enjoy the much easier access to parking spaces that we have had since charges were brought in.

"To do this we will enforce the parking regulations rigorously and make sure that people are not using the hospital as a free long stay car park while they are at work or go shopping.

"Of course we don't want genuine patients or visitors worrying if their appointment runs over or they are delayed for any reason, and our parking staff will exercise discretion.

"As before, the golden rules are to make sure you display a parking ticket and, if you are delayed in the hospital and a penalty has been imposed, contact a member of the car parking staff for help."