Work Begins At Ulster Hospital For Free Parking In 2026

Work is underway to install free parking space at the Ulster Hospital for 2026

The South Eastern HSC Trust has commenced installation works for the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system on the Ulster Hospital site.

This marks the beginning of an 18-month project plan in preparation for the removal of hospital car parking charges in May 2026.

The introduction of ANPR at the Ulster Hospital will be implemented through a phased approach, with the initial phase focusing on Drop-off/Set-down areas.

The Ulster Hospital is undergoing works to install free parking in 2026. But the Trust says everyone will need to continue paying as normal at the moment while the Automatic Plate Number Recognition System is embedding. (Photop by Jim Masson/Down News©).

Visitors to the site will begin to notice changes in the coming weeks and the Trust advises everyone to familiarise themselves with new signage and traffic management updates. Parking attendants will also be on-site.

Health and Social Care Trusts across Northern Ireland have been working to implement the necessary infrastructure for this new traffic management system since the Hospital Parking Charges Act was passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022.

Assistant Director of Support Services in the Trust, Jeff Thompson, emphasised the importance of the changes and said: “The implementation of the ANPR system is a critical step in preparing for the removal of car parking charges in May 2026. 

“We would like to thank our staff and members of the public for their understanding and cooperation as we adopt this new technology to manage traffic flow and car park capacity across our sites”.

Until the new system goes live, current charged parking arrangements will remain in place and visitors are reminded to continue paying for parking as normal.

Further updates on the phased approach will be issued in due course.