Moves to alleviate Swindon hospital's parking problems

Hospital bosses said it was becoming increasingly difficult to park on site during the day

Changes are being proposed to alleviate parking problems at Swindon's Great Western Hospital.

The pay-and-display system is expected to be replaced by a pay-on-exit scheme and park-and-ride and car-sharing initiatives could be introduced.

Staff are being consulted on proposals to reduce parking permits and start a bus service to bring them to work.

Hospital bosses said it was becoming increasingly difficult to park on site between 0900 BST and 1600 BST each day.

Desperate situation

Mark Bagnall, director of estates and facilities, said: "From time to time, I get staff ringing me up or sending me e-mails where they've had to come onto site up to an hour before they're due to start duties and even then not been able to find anywhere to park.

"They've been travelling round the car park for half an hour, even longer, and it's a desperate situation when what they're really trying to do is get into work and start undertaking their duties to look after patients."

He said that if the hospital introduced its own bus service to ferry in staff from north and west Swindon, it may be possible to extend the service to patients and visitors.

The park-and-ride facility would be slightly different from one proposed in January from the nearby Honda site, which was put on hold due to lack of take-up.