Hospital car park

I refer to Lino Spiteri's "Wide Angle" (The Sunday Times, September 11).

St Luke's Hospital, like the University, is a controlled area wherein the hospital authorities are responsible and have the authority to develop the criteria and policies for access and parking. The Traffic & Parking Management Plan for St Luke's Hospital was announced by the Minister of Health, Dr Louis Deguara, at a press conference on March 10. The 22-page document can be accessed and downloaded from http://health.gov.mt/ current/traf_ park_slh.pdf.

The short-term car park is managed through a joint venture between the Department of Health and Pietà council, which has been entrusted with the management of the traffic and parking within the hospital grounds. Net income from the venture is shared between the parties. The share of the Health Division is returned to the Consolidated Fund.  

CT Park Ltd are the council's contractors, and they are entrusted with the day-to-day running of the car park and with the enforcement of traffic and parking as per the Traffic & Parking Management Plan and as instructed by the hospital authorities. CT Park Ltd are paid by the council. Revenue from enforcement of parking and traffic regulations is utilised by the parties to sustain the operation, the additional workforce necessary to enforce traffic and parking regulations and maintenance of equipment.

I trust that the above sheds some light on where the money is going.