Staff take most hospital parking

Building work began on the hospital in 2006

Staff at a new hospital will use almost all the parking spaces, leaving hardly any for visitors.

Health chiefs admit there is too little parking at the £15m community hospital, with workers needing 60 of 70 spaces.

A recent assessment showed the 30-bed Ysbyty Alltwen serving the Porthmadog area of Gwynedd needed 120 spots.

The North West Wales NHS Trust said it was looking into the issue and was hoping to increase bus services to the site.

In a report to a meeting of health watchdog Meirionnydd Community Health Council, its chief officer Pat Billingham said she was told at a recent meeting with trust officials that parking would be inadequate to cope with staff and visiting vehicles.

Her report stated: "Problems with parking have been highlighted. The original plan was for 70+, but staff will be utilising 60+ of these."

Any delay in providing those spaces will naturally attract strong public criticism Councillor Selwyn Griffiths

Porthmadog councillor Selwyn Griffiths, who is also chair of Gogledd Gwynedd Community Health Council, said he was surprised and disappointed the trust had not foreseen the need for 120 parking spaces before the plans were approved.

He said the hospital site was by a main road which, if clogged with cars unable to park in the hospital, could become congested.

He called on the trust and the contractors to pull out all the stops to ensure the parking issue was dealt with before the hospital is due to be completed in May.

"The plain fact is the trust is the owner of adequate land next to the hospital, and it should be simple enough to provide additional parking spaces," he said.

"Any delay in providing those spaces will naturally attract strong public criticism."

Bus services

The trust said it was negotiating with bus companies to provide additional bus services to the site.

Any further developments would be within the current boundaries of the hospital, added a spokesperson.

The parking problem follows building delays and technical problems at the hospital site which will replace the Bron y Garth hospital in Penrhyndeudraeth.

Ysbyty Alltwen was originally scheduled to be completed in November 2007 with a March 2008 opening, but a trust spokesman said at the time they were aiming for a May handover with the hospital in use "later in the summer".

Its construction began in 2006 after a 15-year wait.