PARKING MANAGEMENT
Sustainable parking with digital permits
Staff parking is an increasingly difficult area for estates teams to manage, particularly at a time where space is at a premium and simply building new car parks is not a viable option. Here, Ciara Spreadbury, business development & account manager at Mobile Worker Plus – creator of permit and pass management software OCTOPASS – looks at how digital permit systems can help NHS Trusts manage busy hospital sites, reduce unnecessary journeys, and improve the experience for staff.
NHS estates teams are under increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions while managing limited space across hospital sites. While many sustainability projects focus on buildings, the staff commute is another area where estates teams can make a real impact. Staff parking is often seen as a basic operational task, but for many NHS sites it has become one of the most difficult areas to manage. With limited land available and growing sustainability targets, parking management is now becoming an important part of estate strategy.
Digital permit
management means an end to arbitrary allocation.
The strategic context: the Net Zero mandate The NHS occupies one of the largest and most complex estates in Europe. With the mandate to reach Net Zero for its direct emissions by 2040, and for its Carbon Footprint Plus (including the supply chain and commuting) by 2045, every square meter of the estate is under scrutiny. Staff commuting accounts for approximately four per cent of the total NHS carbon footprint. While an Estate Manager cannot mandate the specific vehicle a clinician chooses to buy, they still have an important tool available: controlling who can access parking on site. By controlling access to the physical estate, the Trust can influence travel behaviour. Historically, the
response to a ‘full’ car park was to seek capital for a multi-story extension. In the current climate, this is rarely feasible. Land is a finite resource better served for clinical expansion, and the embedded carbon of a new concrete structure often contradicts a Trust’s Green Travel Plan. Because of this, many estates teams are now focusing on managing demand rather than building more parking. The most significant friction point in healthcare estate management is the legacy ‘first-come, first-served’ model. These systems often fail because they do not consider
48 Health Estate Journal June 2026
clinical needs or how staff are travelling to work. Digital permit management allows Trusts to move away
from arbitrary allocation. By introducing clear eligibility rules, estates teams can prioritise parking for the staff who need it most. Key data points now drive the decision- making process: n Shift patterns and patient safety: a nurse finishing a shift at 03:00 am faces a different reality than a 09:00–17:00 administrator. Where public transport is non-existent during unsociable hours, the digital system prioritises these ‘high need’ categories to ensure staff safety and retention.
n Commuting distance vs. active travel: by integrating GIS (Geographic Information System) data, the system can automatically flag applicants living within a cyclable or walkable radius (e.g., 2-3 miles). Public travel time and availability can also be an important factor.
n Topography and accessibility: It is not just about distance – it is about the difficulty of the journey. Modern systems can evaluate the feasibility of a walk based on elevation or the lack of safe crossing points, ensuring the policy remains human centric.
This approach helps Trusts manage travel to site rather than simply managing parking spaces, ensuring that the limited estate is reserved for those whose presence is operationally essential at that specific time.
Using scoring to make parking allocation fairer One of the biggest benefits of digital systems is that they make the process more transparent and fairer. Manual permit systems often result in an appeals culture, where staff feel they can argue their way into a permit. A scoring system creates a clear record showing how decisions were made.
In a digital permit system, each application can be scored based on a number of simple factors: 1. Workplace essentiality (40 per cent): does the role require off-site visits? Is it a critical front-line clinical role?
2. Travel alternatives (30 per cent): does the applicant live within 400 meters of a high-frequency bus stop that connects directly to the hospital?
3. Personal circumstances (20 per cent): does the applicant have caring responsibilities or a temporary medical condition (short of a Blue Badge)?
4. Environmental Footprint (10 per cent): is the vehicle an EV, a hybrid, or a high-emission diesel?
AdobeStock / JustLife
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