Hundreds of spaces at empty County Hall car parks are to be opened up to hospital staff as a temporary measure to reduce parking problems and congestion.
The car parks at the empty former headquarters of Worcestershire County Council in Worcester are to be opened up to hospital staff from August 4, an agreement which will provide space for 350 plus NHS staff to park.
The agreement has been welcomed by both the county council and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.
It is hoped the move will reduce congestion and parking issues at the main hospital site, making the experience of getting to and from the hospital less stressful for patients, visitors and staff. If staff are using the County Hall car park as part of the temporary arrangement, the aim is that more spaces for patients and visitors would become available on the main hospital site.
Cllr Andrew Cross and Cllr Katie Collier, Green Party councillors, were among those to push for the County Hall car parks to be opened up for use by the hospital late last year, organising a petition in favour of the move which garnered nearly 2,000 signatures and was handed in to the county council in February.
Both shared footage showing the Worcester hospital site gridlocked, something which affected Cllr Collier personally when her father was unwell and her mother needed to visit him.
Car park 1 at County Hall would be allocated exclusively to acute hospital staff with a warning that parking will be monitored and any unauthorised parking may result in a fine.
Meanwhile, car park 4 at County Hall will have additional reserved bays for DEFRA and Komatsu staff.
County council staff will continue to be allowed to park in car park 8 (Wildwood), car park 4 (except those bays marked for DEFRA and Komatsu) and car parks 3, 5 and 9.
Staff have also been reminded that parking at the Countryside Centre is not permitted.
A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: “The council has agreed terms with the Worcestershire NHS Acute Hospitals Trust to temporarily make use of car parking on the County Hall site, whilst the decommissioning of County Hall takes place. This arrangement supports hospital operations by freeing up visitor parking as hospital staff will use part of the County Hall car park.”
Emma King, Director of Estates and Facilities at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said “We are delighted to announce we have agreed terms with Worcestershire County Council to secure 354 extra staff car parking spaces in Car Park 1 adjacent to the Countryside centre for staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. This agreement will help to reduce congestion into and out of the hospital site during peak times.”