On September 14, the Yichang Development and Reform Commission issued a notice on adjusting the parking fees for public hospitals such as Yichang Central People’s Hospital. The 5 public hospitals in the urban area will change their long-term charging standards for car parking, such as Yichang Central People’s Hospital and Yichang First People’s Hospital.

　　According to the new standards to be implemented by the hospitals, no change has been made in charging for a short stop, while the price will be higher for long stops.

　　It is noticed that the price adjustment involves a total of five hospitals.

　　The 5 hospitals are Yichang Central People’s Hospital, Yichang First People’s Hospital, Yichang Second People’s Hospital, Yichang Chinese Medicine Hospital, and Renhe Hospital of the China Three Gorges University.

　　The adjusted fees areas follows: for small and medium-sized cars parked on the underground floor (or inthethree-dimensional mechanical garage), 3 yuan will be charged for a parking time less than 2 hours (including 2 hours), and there will be an additional 1 yuan for every extended 30 minutes, but the maximum charge will not exceed 25 yuan fora continuous 24-hour stop. Larger vehicles will be charged according to the number of berths occupied on the basis of the above mentioned charging standards.

　　Exempted from parking fees are those vehicles stopping within 30 minutes (including 30 minutes) and military vehicles, police cars, fire engines, ambulances, disaster relief and emergency vehicles, postal vehicles, sanitation vehicles, municipal maintenance and repair vehicles, funeral vehicles and necessary vehicles for disabled persons.

　　Also free of charge are new energy vehicles with a parking time under 2 hours (including 2 hours).

　　However, the Jiangnan Branch of the Yichang Central People’s Hospital and the Cancer Branch of the Yichang Second People’s Hospital will still implement the previously approved standards.

　　In regard of the adjustment, there is little difference for vehicles with a short stop at the parking lots in the 5 hospitals. For example,a car stopping within 2 hours (including 2 hours) is charged 3 yuan, the same ast he old charging standard. However, parking fee will go up for longer stops, e.g.for every extended 30 minutes beyond 2 hours, a car will be charged an additional 1 yuan and the maximum charge reach 25 yuan for acontinuous parking of 24 hours. In contrast, the previous maximum charge for such 24-hour stops was 15 yuan per vehicle. (Reporter: Tian Dongming)