We are NOT a free car park for the hospital - The Worcester Observer

We are NOT a free car park for the hospital

Worcester Editorial 18th Mar, 2015 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

HOSPITAL bosses are coming under pressure over concerns Warndon Villages is becoming a car park for visitors.

Coun Andy Roberts, county councillor for the area, said he had been contacted by a number of residents who claimed people were leaving their cars on their street and walking to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The Harleys in Warndon Villages and Newtown Road were among the areas where Coun Roberts said people were parking and becoming a “nuisance” to residents.

The newly-built oncology unit has provided 200 extra spaces for patients and staff to park, but the Conservative councillor insisted more needed to be done to tackle the problem in Warndon Villages.




“There has been a noticeable number of vehicles parking at the top of Newtown Road and in the Harleys and in among those there are some people who really are a nuisance,” he said.

“They either park outside the drop kerb or very close to it which stops people using their driveway.


“I can’t account for why this has happened, but a certain proportion of them are either working at or visiting the hospital.

“Among all the other problems the hospital is faced with, this may seem a little trivial, but nevertheless, this is a residential area not a car park.”

Coun Roberts said he and Coun Lucy Hodgson, city councillor for the area, were looking to arrange a meeting with hospital chiefs to try to find a long term solution.

“What I am getting from them is there is sympathy for what we are saying and I hope that we are pushing at an open door,” Coun Roberts added.

“I have asked to meet either the chairman, Harry Turner or the chief executive, Penny Venables to ask what the future is.

“A lot of local people see the solution as putting yellow lines down, but that’s only going to shift the problem further down the road, so the answer I think would be for us to come to some arrangement and hopefully the hospital board will look to the future and make a more sustainable provision.

“A multi storey car park in the grounds of the hospital would be perfect or maybe see lower charges for the car park which don’t put people off.”

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed they were in discussion with the city council’s planning department about creating more spaces on the Worcestershire Royal Hospital site.

“We continue to remind our staff of their duty to park responsibly,” he said. “We do provide a free park and ride service for staff who are unable to park on site.

“We have recently acquired additional spaces at King’s Court for staff to park on, and have created an additional 200 parking spaces for patients, visitors and staff with the development of the Worcestershire Oncology Centre.”

Printing

We can provide all of your printing needs at competitive rates.

Recruitment

Find a career you'll love with our free career finder website.

Reader Travel

Check out all of the latest reader travel offers to get your hands on some free gifts.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Worcester Observer newspaper.