Craigavon Hospital gridlock fears: Staff urged to give up parking spaces

Staff at Craigavon Area Hospital have been urged to park farther away from the busy hospital as the site's car parks struggle to cope with excessive demand.
Craigavon Area Hospital. INLM02-110gcCraigavon Area Hospital. INLM02-110gc
Craigavon Area Hospital. INLM02-110gc

Patients and visitors to Craigavon Hospital have been battling for parking bays at the hospital, with many forced to park up on pavements and along the sides of the road.

At busy times, the approach to the hospital has verged on gridlock with the construction of a new paediatric building on the site of one of the main car parks exacerbating the pressures.

Hospital chiefs have had to divert staff to police the car parks four times daily and have promised to pay particular attention to the area at the front of the hospital, which has seen the most congestion.

Upper Bann MP David Simpson has stepped into the fray and pleaded to staff at the hospital to prioritise parking for patients and visitors.

The DUP representative said there have been ongoing complaints from constituents with regards to disabled parking access at the hospital.

Following representations to the Southern Trust, a reply was issued to Mr Simpson stating that the construction work and subsequent reduction in car parking should not affect the provision of disabled parking at the hospital. 

“The new car park at the GP out of hours opened recently, and the total of 32 spaces for disabled drivers will remain”, said a spokesperson. Both the MP and hospital chiefs have urged everyone, in particular staff who do not have a blue badge, to ‘park that little bit further away in order to ensure that everyone can access the services they need.’

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