Parking charges at Darent Valley Hospital will rise next month after planned increases were suspended, health bosses announced today.

From Monday, June 1, one and two-hour stays will increase by an extra 50p to £1.50 and £2.50 while any stays longer than six hours will rise from £5 to £10.

Under the new tariff, patients can now pay £8 to park for up to six hours.

It comes two months after planned increases were suspended after signs were placed at the hospital indicating a 200% rise in 24-hour stays.

The hike caused outrage among patients and residents with Dartford's Ukip parliamentary candidate Elizabeth Jones labelling it a "joke".

The changes come as private parking firm Vinci looks to recoup funds after creating an extra 101 public spaces at the front of the hospital.

The company built a car park at the back of the hospital for staff to use so space could be freed up near the entrance.

Plans are also being drawn up to add another level of parking over an existing staff car park with an application due to be submitted to Dartford council this summer.

A hospital spokesman said a factor in the increases were an increase in demand for space and health services.

He said: "This is the first tariff increase since the hospital opened in September 2000 and takes into account the rise in the Retail Price Index next year.

"An increasing number of people are using the hospital’s services and the demand for car parking space at the hospital has risen significantly.

"We continue to work closely with VINCI Park UK, who operates the car parks, to improve access for patients and visitors to the hospital. An extra 101 public spaces are now in use as part of the car park development, which has been entirely funded by VINCI Park.

"These additional spaces are helping to reduce queuing times but we would still advise patients and visitors to allow plenty of time for parking or to make alternative travel arrangements.

"To improve the parking situation still further, we will be making a formal submission to the council this year to create an upper level area over part of the existing staff car park."