Free parking for thousands of NHS patients and visitors will start being rolled out in England from April.

Blue badge holders and patients who must regularly attend appointments for long-term conditions will get free hospital parking under the plans.

All hospitals in England, including the one that manages the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, will also be expected to give free parking at specific times to parents with sick children staying overnight and staff on night shifts.

Trusts manage their own car parking arrangements and reinvest the profits into frontline care.

The Department of Health is not setting aside funding to reimburse trusts that may see their finances impacted under the Tory manifesto pledge.

But a department spokeswoman said “they will be supported” to ensure the policy does not affect care.

A spokesman at the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust fully supports the new NHS parking legislation and when this comes into force in April it will be rolled out across our sites.

“The trust already ensures that blue badge holders have free parking and our parking charges remain competitive.

“In January 2019, pay on exit barriers to the patient and visitor car parks at the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle were introduced. This means patients and visitors no longer have to estimate how long they will need to park for and only pay for the time they use. The barriers also bring the added convenience of credit and debit card payments. We are also looking to introduce this at West Cumberland Hospital in the future.

“We will continue to review our car parking policy to ensure it remains effective for those using the facilities.”

A recent study found one in three hospitals in England put up the cost of parking last year.

The research showed hospitals made more than £254 million from parking in 2018/19, up 10 per cent on the previous year.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “One of the concerns mentioned regularly on the doorsteps was that vulnerable people, and staff working nights, have to pay for hospital car parking.

“So we are delivering on our manifesto commitment and setting out our new approach to NHS hospital parking charges.

“Currently, the situation varies from hospital to hospital. Instead, from April, across the country those with the greatest need - such as disabled people, parents staying overnight with sick children in hospital, and NHS staff working night shifts - will no longer have to pay for parking.

“This is yet another example of how this government is delivering on our promises and focusing on the people’s priorities.”