Shuttle buses aim to ease parking problems at hospital (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Shuttle buses aim to ease parking problems at hospital
12:20pm Monday 14th December 2009 in News
Great Western Hospital
CONGESTION at Great Western Hospital may be a thing of the past thanks to a new staff shuttle service to be introduced in January.
The shuttle-bus will run from Honda’s South Marston site and will free up around 200 parking spaces at the hospital for use by patients and visitors.
The service is set to launch on January 4 with no cost to its users who pay between £3.33 a week and £200 a year to park at Great Western Hospital.
Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will foot the £30,000 bill but points out that the cost is dramatically under budget.
Mark Bagnall, director of estates and facilities management at GWH NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We had hoped to get this in place by Christmas but there are still a few issues to sort out.
“The service will be up and running by January 4 and after speaking to staff about the plans, many have said it is a service they will be glad to use.”
The shuttle bus has been launched after a review of the hospital’s parking provision following a surge of complaints about hour-long waits to find a space.
Mr Bagnall said: “We decided to create the bus service for staff because in some circumstances it would be difficult to ask patients to park up and take a bus in.
“Many may also drive to the hospital to find a space and would only use the service as a last resort whereas staff would find it more convenient as many have to pass Honda to get here anyway.”
The news will be a welcome relief to most patients and visitors.
After 45 minutes of driving round the packed car park, Melanie Crayford from Old Town said the changes couldn’t come quickly enough.
“It is definitely about time something was done there,” said Melanie, who has been stranded with husband Stephen in the car park on several occasions.
“It has been okay in the past but suddenly it is mayhem up there,” she said.
“I am certainly pleased the bus is going to be for staff because it will not only free-up spaces for patients but it means patients are not forced to take a bus.”
Comments(15)
Opinionated Wench
says...
12:26pm Mon 14 Dec 09
Captain Sensible
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12:30pm Mon 14 Dec 09
politicrat
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12:45pm Mon 14 Dec 09
great to reduce CO2 and traffic congestion.
Old Town
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12:46pm Mon 14 Dec 09
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However the nurses cannot even get parked - and when they do they have to pay - now that IS an absolute disgrace that the local NHS people should be absolutely ashamed of themselves for !
pencil
says...
12:56pm Mon 14 Dec 09
Old Town
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1:05pm Mon 14 Dec 09
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There is simply no good reason why they cannot expand the car parks to accomodate the extra need...
mr_fix_it
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1:08pm Mon 14 Dec 09
Angry Bloke ( again )
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1:09pm Mon 14 Dec 09
Mr_Big
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3:28pm Mon 14 Dec 09
Old Town wrote:Off you go ‘Old Town’, no one is interested in what you have to say.
Not really their fault though pencil - I am sure they also don't want to have to park in Liden to get to work at the hospital..... . There is simply no good reason why they cannot expand the car parks to accomodate the extra need...
Don’t you have a nativity display to save?
Old Town
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5:03pm Mon 14 Dec 09
SockPuppet
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8:51pm Mon 14 Dec 09
faatmaan
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9:59pm Mon 14 Dec 09
itsamess
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10:29pm Mon 14 Dec 09
pippin12573
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12:23pm Tue 15 Dec 09
Old Town says...
12:22pm Mon 14 Dec 09
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Is this such a radical idea ?
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There is so much land at the hospital, surely there should be a completely free car park for staff at the hospital, and a paying one for the visitors ?