Hospital in line for car park

THE Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital is set to get a new car park to ease crowding and congestion.

Planning approval has been granted for the construction of a new 517-space car park at the hospital in a bid to improve facilities for patients, visitors and staff, and reduce traffic congestion on surrounding roads.

The result of a joint partnership between Blackburn with Darwen council and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, a single-level car park will be built with 467 standard spaces, 50 larger spaces and 20 motorcycle spaces, based on unused land off Old Bank Lane.

Trust chief executive Kevin McGee said: “We are delighted at Blackburn with Darwen council’s decision to approve plans to extend the hospital’s car park facilities.

“Our patients and visitors frequently tell us that, while they are happy with their hospital care, there are not enough car parking spaces on our site.

“Car parking provision is also a major issue for current and prospective trust staff.”

Entry and exit to the new car park will be via Old Bank Lane, with improvements being made to the junction at Shadsworth Road and Old Bank Lane to handle extra traffic.

To link the new car park to the hospital site and the neighbouring Queens Park and Haslingden Road areas, a pedestrian footpath will be built around the southern perimeter, complete with illuminated bollards.

If everything goes to plan, work on the new car park will be completed by summer 2018.

James Maguire, the trust’s general manager for estates and facilities, said: “We have worked closely with the council to develop these plans that will significantly improve the experience for everyone visiting the hospital by car.”