Hospital unit staff to park at council building

Staff from Worcestershire Royal Hospital's Elgar Unit can park at the County Hall

Fifty parking spaces are temporarily being made available at a former council headquarters for staff at a nearby hospital.

The spaces at County Hall in Worcester are for staff from Worcestershire Royal Hospital's Elgar Unit, while improvement works are carried out in their usual parking area.

The council offices have been shut since June last year, after potentially dangerous RAAC concrete and legionella bacteria were detected.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Worcestershire County Council said the move would help alleviate car park pressures at the unit.

"The use of these spaces is temporary while the Elgar Car Park is undergoing improvement works," a spokesperson said in a joint statement.

"It makes sense for both the NHS and the county council to work together to support NHS staff, while the future of County Hall is being discussed.

"The provision of these spaces is not expected to have an impact on the availability of parking spaces for council staff."

A petition, calling for patients to be allowed to park at County Hall, has attracted 2,000 signatures.