Hospital parking problems reach new stalemate

4:40pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in News

Councillor Ric Morgan outside the hospital Councillor Ric Morgan outside the hospital

HEALTH chiefs have been told to “get their house in order” after residents found themselves divided over how to deal with parking problems outside Southend Hospital.

Following a year-long investigation, Southend Council has concluded there is nothing more it can do to sort out congestion issues in surrounding streets without alienating people.

The verdict has prompted campaigners to turn on the hospital and call for it to take stronger action over where its staff park.

Ric Morgan, an Independent councillor for the area, said: “The main issue is that we are treating the symptoms, not the cause.

“The hospital needs to take a more proactive approach to dealing with this and get its house in order first.

“Otherwise we risk the whole of Southend being turned into a parking restricted area.”

Parking restrictions were introduced in 18 streets around the hospital in 2011 following repeated complaints from residents that they were unable to park outside their homes.

However, the changes simply caused many hospital staff to start parking in streets outside the protected zone, infuriating previously unaffected residents.

In March last year, the council began an extensive survey to find out whether those residents wanted the restrictions extended to their streets, such as Midhurst Avenue or Hobleythick Lane, as well.

The final results, which will be discussed by councillors tonight, showed 53 per cent were against an extension.

The verdict leaves the council without any major options for dealing with the problem itself.

Comments(18)

The_masked_avenger says...
4:51pm Thu 7 Mar 13

The main problem is that they built a multi storey staff car park which was too small to house most staff who needed it. Then, they failed to apply the correct coating to the floor surface on the upper floors which means that it closes when it gets even slightly icey. Then, they have not controlled who gets a parking permit closely enough meaning that some people to travel from miles away with very poor transport links are forced to drive and park in the roads nearby. When others who live nearby, within walking distance, get a permit.

I see both sides as I am a staff member who also someone who lives very close to the hospital in a street under the parking restrictions.

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Keptquiettillnow says...
5:37pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.

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perini says...
5:43pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.
Trouble is that the public transport links are very poor. Both Southend and Basildon Hospitals are a nightmare to get to using public transport. Perhaps if the council, in conjunction with the bus companies, were to improve the links then people would use that instead.

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emcee says...
5:49pm Thu 7 Mar 13

I know a staff member. She has a permit and she tells me that whenever she parks in the staff car park there are plenty of spaces, whether it is 6am, 1pm or 7pm. I think that a lot of staff who park on the street are those who do not want to pay for their permit (want free parking). Also, patient parking is a rip-off and a lot of patients, who are able to walk a short distance, will also park on unrestricted streets, so as not to have to pay the extortionate parking fees.
I am afraid parking issues are part and parcel of living by a hospital, or any large establishment such as this, that has been there many years, long before parking issues were even thought about. I feel that it is more a case of like it or lump it because, until reliable, cheap and regular public transports services start to happen (I doubt this will happen any time soon), this type of situation is only going to get worse.

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Keptquiettillnow says...
5:55pm Thu 7 Mar 13

perini wrote:
Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.
Trouble is that the public transport links are very poor. Both Southend and Basildon Hospitals are a nightmare to get to using public transport. Perhaps if the council, in conjunction with the bus companies, were to improve the links then people would use that instead.
Very true.
Now 12 hour shifts are the normal for a lot of staff at the hospital as well I suppose people notice cars parked more than they used to.

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Joe Wildman-Clark says...
6:23pm Thu 7 Mar 13

perini wrote:
Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.
Trouble is that the public transport links are very poor. Both Southend and Basildon Hospitals are a nightmare to get to using public transport. Perhaps if the council, in conjunction with the bus companies, were to improve the links then people would use that instead.
Don't the 7 & 8 stop right out the fron any more?

When did they stop?

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whataday says...
6:47pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
perini wrote:
Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.
Trouble is that the public transport links are very poor. Both Southend and Basildon Hospitals are a nightmare to get to using public transport. Perhaps if the council, in conjunction with the bus companies, were to improve the links then people would use that instead.
Don't the 7 & 8 stop right out the fron any more?

When did they stop?
Not everybody comes from wherever the No. 7 and 8 buses serve

As Perini says the local councils should ensure there are reliable public transport links.

The other big point to remember is that staff, patients and residents pointed out the problems with parking at Southend Hospital when the Health Authority proposed shutting Rochford Hospital and putting all services on one site i.e. Southend Hospital. But they went ahead and closed Rochford Hospital anyway, sold off the land and a housing estate was built there increasing the population which would have to find parking spaces at Southend Hospital which was already a problem all those many years ago.

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saddo99 says...
7:21pm Thu 7 Mar 13

I smell a vested interest since Ric Morgan lives in Hobleythick Lane. There will never be a correlation between the number of patients, staff and visitors using the hospital and the amount of parking available and why should there be? There are plenty of buses that go past the hospital and the 7 even had it,s route changed so it could stop there. I am constantly amazed that people will sit at a lowered barrier just waiting for someone to leave. The restrictions in the surrounding streets is not the work of the hospital, it is the council. I think the hospital has enough to do without worrying about parking!

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Local yachtsman says...
9:09pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Charging the staff to park in the staff car park and charging disabled people to park in the hospital grounds is morally repugnant.

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stopmoaning1 says...
9:18pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Local yachtsman wrote:
Charging the staff to park in the staff car park and charging disabled people to park in the hospital grounds is morally repugnant.
SO well said. There is no reason to charge. It's a pure money making scam, no question.

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Nebs says...
9:21pm Thu 7 Mar 13

If the hospital was open for things like blood tests and some outpatient appointments 24/7 then the number of people waiting (and leaving a parked car) would be lower at any particular time as they would be spread out. I appreciate that a 2am blood test appointment won't be everyones cup of tea, but I am sure there would be enough people who would attend out of normal hours, as they would have easier access and less waiting, to make it viable.

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Carnabackable says...
9:31pm Thu 7 Mar 13

SIMPLE SOLUTION - BAN ALL CARS, UNLESS YOU WORK IN THE HOSPITAL, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A DROP OFF POINT, END OF;

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heartbeat says...
12:10am Fri 8 Mar 13

perini wrote:
Keptquiettillnow wrote:
Its amazing to think a hospital has to have more sq meters of car park than it has for anything else. Is the hospital for treating illness or a nation addicted to cars.
Trouble is that the public transport links are very poor. Both Southend and Basildon Hospitals are a nightmare to get to using public transport. Perhaps if the council, in conjunction with the bus companies, were to improve the links then people would use that instead.
Absolutely. I have twice tried to get to the hospital and back on public transport, and each time buses were missed out meaning I waited for around 45 mins. Can anyone seriously expect staff, who have homes to get to, dinners to cook, housework to do, kids to look after etc. to do that? Especially staff who leave late in the evening when it is cold and dark and can be quite scarey waiting at the bus stop.

Also, can the Echo (and everyone else) please take on board the fact that the msin car park at the hospital has a big sign by the barrier which says it is RESERVED FOR PATIENTS AND VISITORS - i.e. STAFF ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN THAT CAR PARK EVEN IF THEY WANT TO PAY THE FEES CHARGED! The staff car park is far too small to accommodate all the staff who work there - most staff don't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting a permit!

What do people actually want then? A hospital with no staff to look after them, or answer the phones to them, or book their appointments etc.etc?

Several hospitals provide Park and RIde services for their staff which also keeps local residents happy. Unfortunately Southend Hospital does not.

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perini says...
9:26am Fri 8 Mar 13

Carnabackable wrote:
SIMPLE SOLUTION - BAN ALL CARS, UNLESS YOU WORK IN THE HOSPITAL, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A DROP OFF POINT, END OF;
Buffoon - you really are an idiot! Public transport is limited so how on earth do you expect people (staff and patients) to reach it without using a car?

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beppo1 says...
9:41am Fri 8 Mar 13

There is a good bus service......numbers 7, 8, 20, 25, and 21 isn't bad.And why have free disabled parking? Lots of these people are not badly off with their free cars as well!

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madmark50484 says...
11:21am Fri 8 Mar 13

Park and Ride now there is a good idea perhaps a new car park could be built locally on one the bus routes and a contract to be put in place with the bus company.

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pembury53 says...
4:29pm Fri 8 Mar 13

stopmoaning1 wrote:
Local yachtsman wrote:
Charging the staff to park in the staff car park and charging disabled people to park in the hospital grounds is morally repugnant.
SO well said. There is no reason to charge. It's a pure money making scam, no question.
I am simply dumbfounded to hear that staff have to buy a permit to park !!!!!

Like so many decision makers at the top........ morons

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The_masked_avenger says...
5:12pm Fri 8 Mar 13

pembury53 wrote:
stopmoaning1 wrote:
Local yachtsman wrote:
Charging the staff to park in the staff car park and charging disabled people to park in the hospital grounds is morally repugnant.
SO well said. There is no reason to charge. It's a pure money making scam, no question.
I am simply dumbfounded to hear that staff have to buy a permit to park !!!!!

Like so many decision makers at the top........ morons
Not just that. You have to submit a form to allow them to decide whether you meet their criteria for a permit and then, if you are lucky enough, you have to wait for a permit to become available. I know several people who have waited months and months for permits. One drives from maldon every day and had to park where she could.

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