Car Parking at the Royal Surrey

Car Parking has been a problem for years at the Royal Surrey. It was about to get much worse. Hospital staff have access to about 388 parking spaces on a plot of land near the hospital but Guildford Borough have now withdrawn permission to use it and it will be sold. Potentially that could be disastrous for staff – the hospital has enough problems recruiting and retaining staff !!! However it has been announced that monies have been included in capital allocations for a second floor over an existing area of car park probably to the rear of the hospital. It is expected to provide 400 spaces i.e. sufficient to restore the status quo. If planning proceeds smoothly it could be in operation by June next year.

But is there anything in the offing to actually relieve parking problems? It appears yes.

Firstly there are steps being taken to increase staff parking spaces which will allow more spaces on the hospital site for patients and visitors

·         Talks are well on the way to allow hospital staff to use some of the spaces at the nearby Park and Ride. With so many spaces empty that is just good common sense.

·         Talks are also underway to pay for some further staff parking spaces at another nearby area.

Secondly there are steps to reduce car traffic by improving public transport links.

·         Most significantly park and ride buses will soon stop at the hospital main entrance. The cost of Park and Ride is very much less than hospital parking charges and it will be much easier to find a space there than driving endlessly around the hospital site

·         Finally there is the new railway station proposed for Westborough with a pedestrian link to the hospital. Some way ahead I know but it has at last been approved.