New car parking system for West Suffolk Hospital

22 November 2000

Work is due to start on Monday 4 December on a new car parking system for the front car park at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

The barriers, which control cars entering and leaving the car park, are to be replaced by four pay and display machines which will allow traffic to move more freely through the area.

The aim is to stop traffic queuing at the barrier when the car park is full and blocking the road to the hospital.

"Ambulances and other emergency vehicles must have free access to the Accident and Emergency Department and the rest of the hospital at all times. Unfortunately people are ignoring the signs which ask them not to queue on the main approach road which is why we need to change the system”, said Bob Heavisides, Director of Estates.

"While the work is going on to install the pay and display machines a small number of spaces will be used by the contractors. This will put extra pressure on parking and I hope that patients and visitors to the hospital will bear with us during this time.

The work will be completed within two weeks. The new system will not go 'live' until 50 additional spaces are made available at the rear of the site in the New Year. This will go some way to alleviate the increasing pressure on car parking spaces. The total cost to the Trust will be £75,000.