Hospitals targeted for parking purge in traffic congestion row

A PARKING purge is being launched at two seaside hospitals after NHS chiefs accused patients and their families of creating a congestion hazard.

Even car users who have paid to use the 1.20 an hour bays at Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals could be targeted in the crackdown involving uniformed parking patrols and fines of up to 60.

Bosses at Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust is say introducing "car park management" is aimed at improving safety at the two hospitals.

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Officials say they have received many comments from patients, visitors, bus companies and staff regarding the difficult and sometimes dangerous parking at Scarborough Hospital.

Director of facilities James Hayward said yesterday: "Recently many buses and delivery vehicles have found it difficult to navigate the roads around the hospital because of improper parking.

"In order to improve the safety of both drivers and pedestrians, the trust executive group has agreed to introduce proper management controls."

As part of these controls, two uniformed attendants will be employed by the trust who will work across both Bridlington and Scarborough hospitals.

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Initially the attendants will issue warning notices to those who park improperly or without payment. Shortly after this the trust will begin issuing enforcement notices where appropriate. Penalty charges will be 60, or 30 if paid within 14 days.

Mr Hayward continued: "We know, from talking to local people, that car parking and access to hospital is an important issue. Our travel plan aims to help reduce car parking demand and traffic congestion on site.

"As part of this plan we are working with East Yorkshire Motor Services to encourage more people to use the number 10 hospital bus service which operates twice an hour. We also have a shuttle bus which runs between Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals and are also in discussions with the council about utilising their park and ride scheme to encourage less traffic on site."

Scarborough Hospital has one of the town's biggest pay and display car parks with 600 spaces, and even those visiting the accident and emergency (A&E) unit are expected to find the right change.

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The Scarborough trust began drawing up plans to impose the charges during the early 1990s but the plans faced a chorus of opposition.

Following the protests – and police warnings of traffic chaos in the streets surrounding the hospital as visitors decided to park elsewhere – the trust withdrew the idea.

A car parking survey carried out at the hospital in 2005-6 as part of a draft travel plan showed that the car park was oversubscribed for 5.5 hours a day.

It also revealed that 54 per cent of all vehicles belonged to NHS staff and 58 per cent of all vehicles parked off site in Woodlands Drive were connected to the hospital.

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The new measures will do nothing to stop parking overspill into the residential area because the trust says the two officers will just patrol its own hospital car parks and the roads on site.

The one-hour tariff for an hour's parking by patients and visitors rose by 20p to 1.20 last year. That price was pegged this year when the fees were reviewed in April, as was the two hour price (2.50) – frozen for the second year running.

However, a new three-hour charge was introduced for 3.50, and four hours for 4.50, replacing a previous blanket 3 fee for three to four hours.

The cost of more than four hours parking is now 6, or 1 up on last year. The trust offers free parking for visitors of relatives in hospital for more than five days.