Oxford John Radcliffe car park changes prompt concern

It was announced on Tuesday that changes would take place at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington from Monday next week.

'Car park one' will change from a patients and visitors to a staff car park with the existing late shift car park converting to visitor and blue badge use.

The John Radcliffe Hospital. (Image: NQ)

READ MORE: Flooding continues to keep Islip roads shut after Storm Henk

The Oxford University Hospitals Trust said there will be no changes to the number of patient and visitor spaces during this period though a result of the development there will be the net loss of 136 car parking spaces for staff.

Headington Hill and Northway Ward city councillor Louise Upton said: "Car parking at the John Radcliffe Hospital is a big issue.

"We would like to work with the hospital also to reduce the reliance of people coming by car.

"I'm all in favour of the hospital putting in as much secure cycle parking as possible."

Councillor Louise Upton. (Image: Contribution.)

Ms Upton acknowledged the need for those who want to have readily available access to the hospital but added the council would be "reticent" about an increase in parking at the hospital.

She said: "We've got this medieval city and the roads are in saturation and we need to find better ways of getting people around."

City councillor Nigel Chapman, of the same ward, added: "From my own personal experience it is often very hard to find a parking space at the John Radcliffe which raises questions about what we can do to ensure people get proper access to the hospital."

Mr Chapman said he thought proposals for a mini bus service from the nearby park and ride straight to the hospital seemed to be "a sensible thing to explore and experiment with".

Councillor Nigel Chapman. (Image: Oxford Labour)

A regular at the hospital, who did not wish to have their name disclosed, said: "If you drive down towards the children's building there is parking there sometimes.

"But parking is a pain in the backside unless you get here early."

Temporary changes to car parks come as part of the hospital's plans to introduce seven new elective theatres which would be built over the existing car park one, adjacent to the trauma building.

Proposed elevations of the new development. (Image: Oxford County Council.)

Parking has long been a cause of concern at the hospital with some residents suggesting that a multi-storey car park be built on site with a petition surpassing 5,000 signatures to this end.

Petition-maker Mick Haines outlines his reasoning as follows: "The current provision of parking spaces at the John Radcliffe Hospital are not fit for purpose, patients currently queue regularly in excess of one hour just to park, often missing appointments."

Mark Holloway, chief estates and facilities officer at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), said: “While this project will ultimately lead to a reduction in the number of staff car parking spaces in the longer-term, we are preparing an overarching Framework Transport Strategy for the management of staff parking here at OUH, as well as exploring wider transport options for our staff.

“The proposed theatres building project will reduce waiting times for surgery and improve patients’ pathways for many years to come.”