An NHS trust has defended making a £300,000 profit from charging staff, patients and visitors to park at three hospitals in the county.

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Oxford’s John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals, and the Horton in Banbury, generated £2.2m from parking charges in 2007-08.

The majority – £1.9m – was spent on the upkeep and running of the car parks, including staffing costs, security patrols, CCTV, physical maintenance and lighting.

ORH spokesman Elika Saedi said the surplus was ploughed back into capital projects.

She said: “Any surplus goes straight back into making improvements for patients and visitors.

“The barrier-controlled car parks at the John Radcliffe were put in after consultation with patients to change from Pay & Display.

“It’s proved popular and also allows for 30 minutes of free parking.”

Both Unison and the ORH’s patient focus group believe parking at the hospitals should be free.

However, Ms Saedi said: “If we offered free or even further reduced parking charges, it would lead to an abuse of the car parks, for example, fly-parking by people who work or live close to our sites who don't have resident parking permits or whose car parking charges are higher.”

It costs £3 to park for one hour at the Churchill, £1 at the John Radcliife and £3 at the Horton.