Hospital parking 'very important'

Maxwell Kusi Obodum • Published 4 Feb 2012 12:00 5 Comments

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PATIENTS and visitors are being driven round the bend by a shortage of parking spaces at the Royal Berkshire Hospital's congested multi-storey car park.

Hospital governor Aileen Blackley warns a lack of bays at the Craven Road car park is delaying clinics and appointments and she wants bosses to free up more room.

Currently the ground floor, and the first, second and third levels of the six-storey car park are open to the public, with the three remaining floors reserved for staff. Each floor has 118 spaces. There are also spaces outside the North Block in London Road, at the Endoscopy Department in Craven Road and in West Drive, off Redlands Road.

But Mrs Blackley, who represents West Berkshire, told last Thursday's [26] Council of Governors meeting: "Car parking is getting worse. Some patients from Newbury say their clinics are becoming impossible to get to and would rather go to Basingstoke. It's something we've got to take seriously. Parking is very important if you have a clinic or you are visiting someone very sick."

Fellow governor Ian Clay said the hospital's moves to bring care closer to home by offering services from outreach clinics in Newbury, Henley, Wallingford and at its new Bracknell Clinic means fewer people need to travel to the main hospital, but added: "It hasn't seemed to have a knock-on effect on parking."

Trust chief executive Ed Donald said the hospital transferred the third floor from staff to public use two years ago, but added: "Maybe we need to explore that again. Yes it is bad here but there's hospitals like Frimley where people are queuing up to the roundabout. They have the same issues as us and, unlike Basingstoke we don't have acres of fields."

Trust chairman Colin Maclean said: "It's important we keep researching and listening to people."

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 04 Feb 12

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sjtyler
Unregistered User
Feb 4, 12:57
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I would now make use of the park and ride (that was closed!!) - at the time the parking wasn't too bad but now it is horrendous trying to park at the hospital, before now I have parked in town and got the bus with my 2 small children as otherwise we would just miss appointments driving around to find a space! If the park and ride was still running I would certainly use it!

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Usefull
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Feb 5, 16:34
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Encourage patients who can to use public transport by increasing the car park charges. New park and ride for staff and patients use at peak times. Staff who work long unsociable hours where public transport is poor need to be able to park on site or there will be a issues in the provision of services.

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Tahir
16 posts
Feb 7, 11:23
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Not only is the car park always packed but it is also far to expensive. Hitting peoples pockets when they are vulnerable !!!

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Mollymay
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Feb 9, 17:09
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Perhaps the bottom line is that the re-development of the RBH site was foolish. It's been there for over 150 years - fine! But needs change, and RBH planners haven't kept up. Of course the Staff have to park, they need to get on duty, but there must be as many staff as Parking spaces currently, so why exacerbate the situation? Charging either patients or visitors horrendously is not the answer - although I think we'd all agree that RBC are totally anti car usage. But if you're not well or your visitors are worried about you and want to see you, or accompany you then they should be able to...... so why was RBH allowed to redevelop and not take that problem on board. Meanwhile the Battle Hosp. site was sold off - now where was the sense in that?

Reading is a big catchment area - it should have 2 hospitals anyway - it had 2 when the town was less than half the size it now is!

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Vixenblue
Unregistered User
Feb 9, 21:45
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I went to the hospital today and it took me over 30 mins to get a parking space and was late for my appointment. The council should have agreed to the other multiple car park for the hospital. I don't mind paying to park as the money goes back to the hospital just need more spaces for visitors and staff.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 1

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