Parking fees for people visiting patients at Mater Dei Hospital have been reduced as part of a new five-year car park deal, the Health Ministry announced on Monday.

New, reduced parking fees came into effect on Sunday, one day after the KIS Service JV consortium began running the hospital car park, after a 10-year deal signed back in January 2008 ended.

KIS Service JV won the concession after beating four other bidders in a tender application process, the ministry said, and has signed a five-year deal with an option to extend the contract by two further years.

The revised rates cut fees from 10c per parking spot (from 80c to 70c) for visitors who stay up to one hour, to 60c (from €4.10 to €3.50) for visits of four hours or more. Parking will remain free for visits of 30 minutes or less.

In its statement announcing the new rates, the ministry said that the new car park deal would also require the operator to maintain the car park and all its equipment, and pay for the use of hospital land.

The consortium has been given the go-ahead to find areas on hospital grounds where parking spots can be added and has already started the search, the ministry said.

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