‘Tales of angry confrontations’

COUN JO NEWING, Labour councillor for Old Town

I’m proud to serve as Labour councillor for Old Town Ward. We are great community, close knit with a deep sense of pride in Barnsley.

However, many residents engage with me, almost daily, with tales of gridlock and inconsiderate parking in and around the streets adjacent to our brilliant hospital. I’m not proud of that.

Although active travel is promoted and encouraged, far too many people still arrive at the hospital in private cars, whether they be staff, patients, or visitors.

The current car park is already bursting at the seams and since car parking charges for patients and visitors was reintroduced in October last year, the natural thing that happens is that surrounding residential streets are the next best parking spot – frustrating residents, and businesses.

One recent incident relayed to me was at the Church of St Paul the Apostle; hospital users were double parked all along St Paul’s Road, churning up grass verges and blocking access to the building.

Notwithstanding the undeniable impact on air quality caused by stop-start traffic close to an NHS hospital and gridlocked traffic blocking the path of emergency ambulances, there have been tales of angry confrontations between residents and selfish parkers. This can’t continue.

I call on the executive team within Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to re-examine their staff transport policy, perhaps rewarding staff who arrive using public transport or active travel.

If they already do that, perhaps they should do it more.

I’m more than happy to meet with them to help promote whatever scheme will help. Labour’s South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has done his bit too; introducing a maximum £2 fare on the buses. This ‘Mayors Fare’ may nudge more folk to use public transport.

I pledge to work with my Labour council colleagues on a lasting solution to this problem; that’s why I’m pleased to learn that there will be a full consultancy led review into parking in and around our hospital with a park and ride scheme as one of the options.

One thing is clear; the current situation can’t continue much longer.