Massive hospital car park to ease nightmare parking

A SOLUTION to the ongoing problems of driving into Coventry’s hospital – and finding a parking space – will move a step closer as plans for a massive staff car park are presented to the public.

Developers and the trust which runs University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire will be displaying the plans for a 1,600space car park on land to the east of the hospital, following an initial consultation which began in October last year.

The hospital in Walsgrave is a renowned traffic bottleneck, with patients and visitors frequently having to endure lengthy waits to get into the busy car parks currently on the site.

If given the go-ahead the new car park could free up spaces for patients and visitors on the main hospital site and improve staff access to parking.

Early plans for the proposed car park were first shown to local residents last October.

The new car park would be located to the rear of the hospital, on its east side, with access from Clifford Bridge Road and through the hospital via the current service link road.

The hospital trust has been working with development partner Prime VINCI on the proposal.

The public event outlining the plan takes place at Walsgrave Baptist Church on Hinckley Road on March 28 from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

It will provide the community with an opportunity to see how feedback provided has helped to shape the plans and designs.

The event is being led by Prime VINCI and architects Stripe, and will also be attended by representatives from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.

The project team will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions people may have about the plan.

Professor Andrew Hardy, chief executive officer for University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said he appreciated the frustration of patients and staff and said improving parking on the hospital site was “essential”.

“We share the concerns of patients and staff about our current parking provision,” he said.

“The high demand for the parking we have on site means that patients often need to queue for a space, causing unnecessary stress before appointments. Improving the parking situation at our hospital is essential to improving the experience of our patients and visitors.”

Anyone with questions regarding the car park plan who is unable to attend the open event should email carparkplan@uhcw. nhs.uk.