50 new patient parking spaces at University Hospital

[dutchman]

NHS bosses have ordered emergency action to cut crippling traffic congestion at Coventry’s University Hospital.

The interim measures have been drawn up after the Telegraph recently highlighted how patients had been turned away and ambulances diverted to a side gate because of the ongoing traffic problems.

Now at least 50 new spaces will be created on the Walsgrave site next month to ease congestion.

Hospital bosses told the

Telegraph a planning application for a second entrance and two new staff car parks will finally be submitted by the end of the month.

But they admit traffic on site and on surrounding roads in Walsgrave is now so bad they cannot wait for those to bear fruit.

So it will begin clawing back dozens of staff parking spaces for use by patients and visitors.

Ian Crich, the hospital’s executive lead on parking, said: “Even if planning permission is granted in February, the work could still take two years.

“This problem won’t wait two years. It isn’t going away.”

Hospital congestion is a long term but rapidly growing problem.

Nine days ago security guards were forced to turn back irate patients after the car parks hit capacity.

Buses have also been forced to drop passengers at the edge of the site to avoid long queues, while ambulances now regularly use a side gate to bypass some of the gridlock.

Mr Crich said: “God forbid there should ever be a situation where a patient suffers because an ambulance can’t get in.”

The hospital is now ready to submit its long awaited planning application within the next two weeks.

However, after seeking advice it has decided to press ahead with some on-site work immediately.

By re-distributing staff spaces it will be able to convert one corner of its staff car park for use by the public by early February.

That will be separated by a mobile barrier, so bosses can extend the public area whenever possible.