A SHOCKING speeded up video shows queues of traffic snaking around a Worcester hospital site as calls are renewed to allow patients to use the empty car parks at nearby County Hall.
The video, made by Cllr Katie Collier, shows traffic queuing for 90 minutes to get out of the Worcestershire Royal Hospital car park in Charles Hastings Way, Worcester.
It comes after 'common sense' suggestions were made by Green councillors, including Cllr Collier, that people be allowed to use the almost empty car parks at County Hall, the HQ of Worcestershire County Council.
Green Party councillors made the suggestion to take stress away from hospital patients, staff and visitors, at least while the building itself remains closed because of the legionella bacteria found in the water.
However, the county council says it needs the County Hall car parks for staff despite them being pictured last Thursday almost deserted as staff work from home or in nearby Wildwood.
Staff have yet to reply to enquiries by the Worcester News about how many spaces there are in total at County Hall and how many, at most, are occupied on average as patients face long queues at peak times at the hospital, a short distance away via Worcester Woods Country Park.
Green Party city councillor Katie Collier, who made the video in April, said it took people around 90 minutes to get out of the hospital site as plans are unveiled today (Wednesday) for a multi-storey car park which it is hoped will ease pressure on hospital parking.
Plans for an 850 space car park go on show today (Wednesday) at the Lyppard Hub in Ankerage Green in Warndon Villages in Worcester between 1pm and 7pm.
Cllr Katie Collier, who represents Leopard Hill, said: "Parking at the hospital is a real issue for a staff, visitors and patients. Residents in the Warndon Villages have spoken to me about the terrible congestion they are subjected to every day due to the amount of traffic on the hospital site.
"It would be very sensible for the possibility of staff or visitors to be able to park at county hall to be investigated and for a trial to be conducted as soon as possible, rather than the idea being dismissed."
Cllr Andrew Cross, a county councillor for Warndon Parish and a city councillor for Leopard Hill, said: "It seems bonkers to have an empty car park when, just five minutes away, there is congestion, severe congestion, at the hospital."
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A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: “The wider County Hall campus is very much open and operational. This includes the registration office which has frequent visitors throughout the day as well as being a wedding venue.
"In addition, while the main County Hall offices are temporarily not in use, many staff are now using alternative accommodation in Wildwood.
"This will increase over the coming weeks as more teams are relocated. There is limited parking outside of Wildwood and as a result, the main car parks are still needed for staff and visitors, as well as contractors working in the main building.”
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