THE Royal Bolton Hospital netted almost £500,000 in car parking charges in just 12 months.

The hospital collected £433,282 from patients and visitors and a further £41,109 from staff between April, 2005, and March, 2006.

But the Royal Bolton Hospital's chiefs insist the cash is essential so that new car parking spaces can be built and the existing car parks can be maintained and resurfaced.

It also pays for security measures and CCTV to be maintained.

Heather Edwards, the hospital's head of communications, said: "If we did not charge for parking, this money would have to be diverted from other services at the hospital."

A total of 186 new car parking spaces were created on the site between April 2005 and March 2006.

Charges at the hospital are currently £1.70 for four hours and £2.50 for more than four hours.

Reduced rates are available for people who need to park at the hospital on a regular basis. Monthly passes are available costing £20.

Hospital staff pay £10 per month to park in the staff car parks.

Across the North-west, six hospital trusts each raised more than £1 million from car parking charges.

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Fairfield Hospital in Bury, made the most in the region - £1,533,496 according to the figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust made £1,288,080, Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust, £1,033,000, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's Hospital University Hospitals NHS Trust £1,084,629, Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust £1,055,839 and South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust £1,242,000.

The Department of Health defended the charges.

A spokesman said: "Charges help hospitals as it discourages people who are not using the hospital from using the car parking spaces."