An extra 60 parking spaces will be created at Walsall Manor Hospital and visiting times could be changed in a bid to cut congestion near the site and end complaints by local residents.
The hospital has been inundated with complaints from residents living near the Pleck Road site worried about the overflow of traffic near their homes.
Visitors and patients have also lodged complaints and it is hoped the extra spaces, most of which will be created behind its pathology department, will help the hospital cope at peak times.
A report to the hospital’s board shows that there are problems where staff and visitors have been caught in tailbacks affecting surrounding streets.
They also say that congestion around Moat Road and Wilbraham Road means emergency vehicles are being delayed.
Visiting times, currently 2-6pm, are set to be changed with the introduction of “flexible” options to ease the number of cars on site at any one time.
The scheme is expected to cost £60,000 and provide 40 spaces in the North West car park and 20 in the Reservoir car park. Brigid Stacey, chief operating officer, said: “Spaces will be provided to the side and rear of the pathology building, currently reserved for staff parking, concentrating all visitor parking in one area and near to the main entrance.”
The board is expected to approve the recommendation tomorrow.
* One of the wards closed at Walsall Manor Hospital due to the outbreak of the winter vomiting bug was reopening this afternoon. Bosses said the Sandpiper Ward would reopen after there were no new cases of Norovirus overnight. The hospital has 10 patients affected by the bug.
6 Comments
about time but how much as parking gone up
Well they might be getting more parking spaces but at what price to park.
Any extra parking near to the hospital is good news, as for parking fees lets remember we DOH OWT FER NOWT in this world. It is a pity though they can’t charge extra for these big gas guzzling people carriers.
No I am not jealous of those who own such ugly vehicles, I just think they are so unsuitable for our roads, and more impotantly our Hospital car parks. When I visited the Mnor Hospital recently two of these vehicles were parked side by side and took the space of at least four average size cars. much to the annoyance of others trying to get parked.
Tobias.
Its all well and good making sure the visitors have somewhere to park but what about staff? The decisions about staff parking are obviously made by people who sit at desks for 7 hours a day and dont spend sometimes in excess of 12 hours on their feet! Its not a nice feeling finishing a 12 hour shift and then having to walk another half a mile to your car (and indeed having to walk that half mile even before your shift starts!)!! Its not much to ask to be able to park near to their place of work is it?
It’s good they have addressed the parking situation for the hospital but what about the parking for the other departments such as the Diabetic Center which is situated over the road from the hospital.
If there is a car park for this department where is it?
Kezzywezzy,
I agree its not nicewhen you have to park such a distant from your car when at work, but you want to try working in the town center. I am only allowed 10 minutes to unload my goods then have to find a parking space to leave my and at some cost. It would appear Walsall does not want traffic any where near the town center or its Hospital, that is why its spending 16 million pounds to get traffic around and out of Walsall as quickly as it possible can.
My rates are in excess of £120. per week and cant even park my car !!
Foot Weary Tobias