SHENZHEN’S planning authority is considering adopting a differentiated fare system to charge cars parked in hospitals to relieve parking difficulties.

    At a meeting Monday, the city’s development and reform commission said the program would initially be implemented in four hospitals, namely Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen No. 2 People’s Hospital, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.

    The plan divides vehicles that carry patients into two categories, either for clinic or emergency treatment, or inpatient treatment. For vehicles carrying patients for clinic or emergency treatment, the drivers can enjoy certain discounts within a certain time period. For vehicles carrying inpatients, the drivers will be charged at each exit with a certain discount.

    For vehicles parked at a hospital for non-treatment purposes, the drivers will be charged 10 yuan (US$1.45) for the first hour during rush hour, and an additional 3 yuan for every 30 minutes after the second hour, and otherwise will be charged 5 yuan for the first hour and an additional 5 yuan for every 30 minutes after the second hour.

    At present, vehicles parked at hospitals are charged 5 yuan and 10 yuan a day for indoor and outdoor parking respectively with a clinic or inpatient receipt or medical record. The low fares have attracted many drivers, who are not seeking treatment, to park their vehicles in hospital parking lots, which are generally located in the downtown and other busy areas.

    A survey showed that in a week, the number of vehicles parked at Shenzhen People’s Hospital for non-treatment purposes accounted for 76 percent of the total. It was followed by Peking University Shenzhen Hospital at 47 percent, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital at 44 percent, and Shenzhen No. 2 People’s Hospital at 5 percent.

    The combination of a shortage of parking spaces and low parking fees has worsened parking difficulties at hospitals, so the fee program aims to make full use of the limited parking resources for patients. (Han Ximin)