Inappropriate parking at Craigavon Area Hospital will soon see motorists slapped with a parking charge notice.
And, in some cases, vehicles could be clamped or even towed away.
For far too long to recall, irate motorists have complained over inconsiderate parking at the hospital.
Now the Southern Trust is to employ a licensed car park contractor to patrol the site.
The new parking enforcement arrangements will come into operation from next Monday, July 17.
The contractor will be patrolling the Craigavon site and will issue these parking charge notices “to drivers parked inappropriately”.
The set fee will be £60 – or £40 if paid within 14 days – which is in line with recommendations from the British Parking Association Code of Practice. Clamping or towing may also be applied.
Enforcement will apply from the Lurgan Road entrance along the main hospital avenue and around the front of the main building, along the blue light route and including the drop off zones.
Enforcement will also apply to vehicles parked in disabled spaces throughout the site which are not displaying a valid blue badge.
The Trust says the new arrangement is being introduced in response to ongoing traffic issues around the site.
Esther Gishkori, Director of Acute Services, said: “Those familiar with our busy hospital sites will be very well aware of the ongoing issues with car parking and traffic congestion. We have been reviewing traffic management across all of our hospitals and are introducing a number of measures to improve parking and ease congestion.
“Our recent car parking survey indicated support for enforcement to help prevent abuse of disabled spaces and red zones. Even when there are spaces available, cars are still parking inappropriately and in disabled spaces without displaying a blue badge.
“It is absolutely vital that we protect emergency routes and allow ease of drop off for those who need to access the hospital.
“We hope that the introduction of enforcement will deter people from parking inappropriately, help to improve congestion and provide a safer, more accessible environment for everyone using the site.”
The situation is to be kept “under review” and the “arrangements may be extended to other parts of the Craigavon site and to other Trust sites”.
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