THE highly criticised car parking system at Crosshouse Hospital is due to change as new NHS plans are set to be implemented.

Ayrshire and Arran’s NHS Board have approved proposals for a newly managed car parking scheme at the University Hospital Crosshouse after many complaints about the current system.

The plan is to have designated long and short stay car parks for patients, staff and visitors, including parking wardens to make sure cars are parked appropriately and advise drivers or where spaces are available.

The local NHS Board believe that the new proposal will see patients and visitors being able to park closer to the main buildings and make the car park less congested than previously.

Parking in one of the short stay car parks will allow a time limit of three hours with the long stay car park being used by people who need to park for longer.

The new car parking spaces which must be created under the new system will be completed in the coming months.

The Director of Corporate Support Services at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, John Wright, believes the new plan is the solution to the car parking issues at the hospital.

He said: “We know that our car parks can get very congested and these new plans will help to alleviate these problems.

“Once the additional spaces have been completed, the new signage will be put in place, with the new schemes being completed at both sites by Autumn.

“We know the work may cause some disruption, so I would like to thank everyone in advance for their patience.” The short stay car parks at Crosshouse will be located at the East car park, which is to the right of the main hospital entrance, and the car park beside the main disabled car park with the long stay car parks situated at the Ayrshire Maternity Unit, the West car park, Lister Centre car parks and on Lister Street and surrounding areas.

The new system will also be implemented at University Hospital Ayr and there are other measures being considered such as extending visiting hours to include open visiting, reviewing outpatient clinic time and introducing travel action plans to ease congestion at road junctions.